Eternally United
by Hank's Lady
Summary: Third and final part of the United trilogy. Jacob and Edward's careers are about to begin and a new home awaits them. Everything seems perfect until an event threatens to snatch away their hopes and dreams. Are they destined for heartbreak, or will fate step in again to give them their happy ending? Rated M for adult scenes and please note it is SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:- As always, I do not own any of the Twilight characters, but am borrowing them for the duration of the story. Any additional characters introduced to the story are my own.**

CHAPTER ONE

**August 2106**

I stretched the tarp over the camping gear and secured it to the sides of my truck. For once the sky was blue, but in Washington that often didn't last long and I didn't want us to reach our favourite camping spot with everything soaking wet. Edward was in the house collecting food supplies from Mom and when he emerged, his mouth was crammed full of fresh-baked cookie and my sisters, Claire and Chloe, were trying to make him laugh and spit crumbs.

"I wish you'd take us with you," Claire pouted, coming to standing beside me. "It's ages since we went camping."

"I don't know why you still want to sleep on the ground in the middle of nowhere with damp and bugs everywhere." Chloe pulled a face and shuddered. "Anyway, it's not ages, you went last year with Amber's family."

"It wasn't proper camping. We went to a camp _site_ with showers and a swimming pool and everything. They even had bunk beds in the tent and a table and chairs and this massive stove; it was weird. It'd be much more fun with Jacob and Edward."

"Ugh, you are such a _boy!"_ Chloe exclaimed.

I couldn't help laughing. My sisters were twelve now, about to start their second year in highschool and their interests had changed somewhat. Claire was tomboyish and had half a dozen young male friends from school whom she saw as buddies that she wanted to imitate, while Chloe had turned into a little princess and had begun to take an interest in fashion and makeup. She hated being dirty and untidy and was a typical 'girly' girl. At their last birthday her gifts had been clothes and shoes and a bag, while Claire's had been a skateboard, helmet and knee-pads.

"We'll take you next year if you still want to go," I said.

Edward put the box of food on the floor in the cab of the truck and climbed in and I slid behind the wheel. We had a week to enjoy each other and the isolation of the mountains and forest before our lives really started. Edward had transferred the money for the house we were buying to his lawyer, including a substantial fee, and the man was to complete the purchase for us. It would be ready for us to move in within three weeks and at the same time we would be starting our careers, Edward as a history professor at the college in PA and me as a sports coach at one of the elementary schools nearby.

Now I started the engine and within minutes we were leaving Neah Bay behind and heading for the Rockies. Edward selected some music to listen to while we travelled - something classical that I should have known the name of by now, but didn't. We had been married more than two years and been together approaching four and I'd had plenty of opportunities to listen to him playing his keyboard or the piano, or some of the vast collection of recorded music he had, but even though a lot of it sounded familiar by now, the only one I could name was Debussy. I grinned as I remembered the first time I had heard him play something by the composer. I had thought Debussy was a band.

"What are you grinning at?" Edward asked, glancing at me and raking his fingers through his wild bronze hair. He had gotten a haircut recently, thinking he should try to tame it at least a little before he went to work at the college, but he still looked like a mad professor to me, especially with his glasses on; my own mouthwateringly beautiful mad professor.

"Just stupid stuff. Remember when we first started college and I thought Debussy was a band?"

He chuckled and slid closer to me on the seat, resting his hand on my thigh.

"Before that I can remember storming out of the room because you made fun of my writing and called me 'Ed'."

"I was being a jerk to you, Ed," I teased, grabbing his hand in mine and stilling it as it stroked my leg. "Stop that, if you want me to stay on the road."

"I can't help it. You know how much I love your family, but sleeping in that damned bunk bed and not being able to do anything is torture."

"Yeah, well sitting here with you groping my leg is torture," I said, pushing his hand off again which had somehow slid free of mine and was caressing my thigh muscle. "What are you trying to do to me?"

"I just want to make sure you're as eager as I am when we get there," he smirked, adjusting his pants with his free hand.

"Fuck," I groaned.

"That's what I'm hoping for."

We continued teasing each other on what suddenly seemed like the longest drive I'd ever endured. Our only release during the few days staying with my family had been from jerking off in the shower - alone - and it was an extremely poor substitute for Edward's skillful hands and mouth or his tight heat as I made love to him.

I parked the truck up in the usual place, close to a clearing where we pitched the tent, making sure to position it with its front wheels on a large flat rock that we had discovered perfect for the purpose. On the first camping trip we had become stuck in the mud and Jasper and Charlotte had to push us out.

Edward moved away from me and got out of the vehicle, moving to the rear to untie the tarp and I stayed where I was for a moment, looking left and right, wondering how likely we were to find company in this area. We had never seen anyone on our previous trips, with the exception of a couple of the Cullens now and then. No one was in sight and I opened the glovebox to retrieve the small bottle of lube we kept in there for emergencies, got out of the truck and went to Edward.

"Leave that, come with me," I urged, grabbing his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." I tugged him along the path towards the trees, grimacing at the feel of my erection pushing against my zipper. I was beyond uncomfortable and when I looked at Edward I could see the unmistakeable shape of his arousal in his jeans.

"Can't you wait?" he grinned now.

"Are you kidding? You've been teasing me the whole way here."

I stopped close to an enormous tree, the trunk wider than my shoulders and the base partly surrounded by foliage. One more quick look around confirmed we were completely alone and I drew Edward into my arms, covering his mouth with mine in a heated kiss as I manoeuvred him back against the broad trunk and pressed my body against his. His soft moan was muffled by my tongue and he clutched at me eagerly, his hands sliding down my back to my butt and pulling me harder against him, our erections seeking each other through several layers of clothing.

I moved my lower body away from his slightly, just enough to get a hand between us to begin fumbling buttons and zippers undone, shoving my cargo pants down past my hips and lowering Edward's jeans. I broke the kiss with a groan as he touched me, his palm rubbing up and down my length through my shorts for a moment before he hooked his thumbs into the waistband and pulled them down, freeing my erection. He grasped it in one hand, stroking tormentingly slowly while I uncovered him, cupping his balls and squeezing gently for a moment before I took his cock in my hand. He was leaking and quivering and he moaned and thrust his hips forward eagerly as I rubbed my thumb over the head.

I backed away and dropped to my knees, feeling dampness from the ground soak through my pants and ignoring it. I quickly unlaced Edward's boots as he leaned against the tree, pulling one foot free at a time and sliding his jeans and shorts off before placing the foot back into the boot. I draped his clothes over a bush that looked reasonably dry and turned my attention back to him, grasping his erection around the base and guiding it into my mouth as my own bobbed achingly in front of me.

"God...so good..." Edward groaned, one hand coming to rest on my head as a I sucked on him gently. "Shit...what if someone sees?"

I released him briefly. "No one's around, but would you care if they did?"

"Right now...no...please, keep going," he groaned.

"Want me to make you come?" I teased.

"Fuck, Jacob!"

I drew him back into my mouth and he sighed with relief, thrusting himself steadily deeper until I felt him hit the back of my throat. I continued working him with my mouth and hand while I groped into the pocket of my pants for the lube and squeezed some onto my fingers. He didn't even notice until I slid my hand between his legs, searching for his hole and pushing one finger slowly inside. Then he moaned loudly, his thighs trembling as he moved his feet further apart to give me better access. Slowly I added a second finger, pushing them deep and curling the tips in search of his prostate.

"Holy shit!"

His nails dug into my scalp and he squirmed against the tree trunk, panting for breath as I increased the speed of both hands and mouth, pushing him rapidly towards orgasm. Often I liked to tease him when he was this horny, dragging things out until he begged, but I was too eager for my own release and instead I gave him what he wanted, repeatedly bumping the gland inside him while I sucked and stroked rapidly. He came hard, flooding my mouth and throat with his warm fluid, his cries loud in the otherwise mostly silent forest. I let him slip from my mouth and got to my feet slowly, licking my lips, grasping my own aching erection now and giving it a few firm pumps. Edward opened his eyes slowly and met mine.

"Let me catch my breath and I'll do that for you," he panted.

"I've a better idea."

I took another quick look around, confirming once more that we were alone and then took out the lube again. Edward watched breathlessly as I coated my shaft in it and put the small bottle away. I shuffled closer to him, my ankles hampered by the pants and shorts bunched around them and he rested his hands on my shoulders, pulling himself up on tiptoe and raising one leg over my hip. I tucked my hand under his thigh to keep it in place and guided myself awkwardly with the other hand. We had done this in the shower a few times before and it wasn't the easiest of positions, but certainly one of the most fun.

I groaned as the head of my cock pushed into Edward's tight hole. He felt so good and I held my breath as I eased myself deeper, bending my knees a little and pushing myself upwards. His softening cock began to stiffen again, bumping against my stomach as I filled him and I began to move slowly, grinding myself against him more than thrusting in and out, my hands gripping his butt and supporting his weight.

"You feel so good," I groaned. "It's been too long."

To us, a week was an eternity. The more we made love, the more we wanted to and everything about Edward seemed to turn me on; silly things like the way his hair looked as if he'd had a fright when he dragged his hands through it; the way his mouth twitched up at the corner into his crooked smirk; the way he shoved his glasses up his nose. Then there was the way he would tease me, nibbling at my ear and stroking my thighs, determinedly avoiding my cock until I begged; the way he would emerge from the bathroom wearing only a towel, tied low enough for me to see a hint of his pubic hair; the way he would touch himself and pretend he didn't know I was looking.

"God, Edward," I groaned. "I love you so much."

My thoughts were having just as much effect on me as the feel of his hot tunnel gripping me and I thrust harder against him, my balls tightening as my orgasm approached.

"I love you," he answered, writhing between my body and the tree as I impaled him.

We were made for each other. Fate had seen to it that we found each other for a second time and I was happier than I ever thought possible. He was the love of my life, my everything and it was sappy, romantic thoughts that filled my head when I came into him, clutching him against me, scattering tiny kisses over his face as I panted for breath. We drew apart reluctantly, Edward finding tissues in his jeans pocket to clean himself up while I quickly wiped my cock, pulled up my shorts and pants and took another look around us. Still no one in sight and I heaved a sigh of relief.

We made our way back to the truck and set to work pitching the tent and making up the bed for later. As was often the case, clouds were blowing in off the mountains now and it looked as if rain was on the way. We heated up some canned food on the camp stove and then retreated under the canvas as it began to shower, poring over a hiking map I had brought. We had decided to spend a day following a trail to higher ground and we marked the route on the map, hoping that we were going to get at least one dry day during the week. We had wet weather gear, but the excursion would be a lot more pleasant in dry conditions.

It rained all night, but when we opened the tent the next morning, the sky was cloudless and the sun warm. It seemed a perfect day for the hike, but we packed waterproof pants and jackets into the two small backpacks we intended to carry, in case things changed. Edward made sandwiches from some of the supplies we had brought and packed a bag of Mom's cookies and some bottles of water. We set off at nine-thirty armed with the map and our phones and headed up the trail through the forest. After about an hour we emerged from the trees under a blue sky with few white clouds and we continued steadily upwards, pausing occasionally to drink some water and look at the view.

"Better get some photos or my sisters will beat us up," I grinned, pulling my phone out.

I snapped away for a few minutes and we took pictures of each other before moving on again. The climb didn't really affect me, as fit as I was from constantly playing sports and training, but Edward grew a little out of breath. He had taken up running and his legs were strong, but he wasn't used to more varied activity. We eventually reached a peak we had been aiming for in the early afternoon and stopped to eat the food we had brought, gazing about us and spotting a mountain lion in the distance.

"I'd have had that once upon a time," Edward grinned and I remembered that mountain lion had been his favourite prey.

We watched as the cat stalked an unsuspecting goat from above, springing down upon it and making short work of the helpless creature.

"I was faster than that," said Edward smugly.

"You're big-headed too," I teased. "You used to be so sweet and shy."

"I'm still sweet. I'd be shy too if it wasn't for you."

I smiled and leaned closer to kiss him, then pulled away and got up.

"We better head down; it looks like it's going to rain again."

While we had been sitting there, the wind had picked up and somehow the little white fluffy clouds had been replaced with grey ones without us noticing. We probably had time to get back down to the tent before the heavens opened, however.

Edward gathered up the remains of the meal, we drank some water and then set off, taking a different, shorter route to the one we had hiked up. It was steeper, but led more directly to where we had left the truck and we were able to make quick progress off the peak. Lower down the path was rough, covered in loose shale and rocks of all sizes which we constantly had to step over or walk around and I began to wonder if it would have been quicker to go back the way we came after all. We were about halfway down, however, so it made sense to just keep going. We paused to take on some more water and then began to stride downwards again, almost losing our footing a few times as the ground alternated between slippery muddy areas created by the constant showers and coverings of loose stone. As we negotiated a particularly steep part of the path, Edward's feet shot out from beneath him and he crashed onto his back right behind me, almost taking me out with him and I stopped quickly.

"Are you ok?" I grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

"Yeah," he winced. "Going to have a nice bruise on my butt though."

"I'll see what I can do to make it feel better later," I said, blowing him a kiss.

We continued, relieved to notice the forest perhaps a mile ahead - or down, to be more accurate - and picked up our pace a little. We would have to take a small detour to get around a sheer drop a little way ahead and I knew that the alternate path would involve at least some climbing. I turned off towards the left, Edward following, and within a few minutes the path broke up and we were looking down a rocky outcrop.

"What happened to the path?" Edward asked.

"It's down there." I pointed to the bottom of the area we were going to have to climb down.

"I thought we were avoiding that cliff part."

"We are, look that way."

He turned to the right, eyeing the hundred-foot flat face where many years ago a huge part of the mountain had sheered off and collapsed, leaving a cliff which was well used by trainee rock-climbers.

"Fuck," Edward muttered.

"This part'll be fine, just follow me," I said. "It's not that steep; go backwards."

I turned around and began to work my way down, feeling for secure places to rest my feet and leaning over to support myself with my hands. Edward followed more slowly, his feet a little way above my head. We were about halfway down when he missed his footing and slid towards me with an alarmed yell, his arms flailing as he struggled to grab at something solid. I planted my feet apart on the large rock I was standing on and caught him quickly, wrapping an arm around his waist until his feet found purchase between mine.

"Shit!" he panted. "Sorry."

"Are you hurt at all?"

"Not really." He held up the palms of his hands which were badly grazed, but other than that he appeared unscathed.

"It's only about another fifty feet," I said. "You ready?"

"Yeah."

I let go of him as I prepared to move and then grabbed him again quickly as I felt the rock beneath our feet shift. It had seemed firmly anchored, but with the weight of both of us and no doubt the ground around it being loosened by rain, it began to give way and I made a quick step to the side onto mud, pulling Edward after me. The rock continued to move, slowly working its way free, but at the same time the surrounding loose stones and soft mud began to slide and suddenly what was under our feet was no longer there and we were slipping backwards, losing our balance and falling.

I cursed myself for taking the shortcut as I heard Edward's yell of alarm and felt stones cut into my knees. I still had hold of him, but I didn't have hold of anything else and there seemed nothing solid to grab onto. Everything was heading downwards and taking us with it. I began to fall back and away from the ground and then my head hit something, sending a blinding pain through the back of my skull. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment as everything stopped moving, praying that I wouldn't pass out.

"Edward..." I whispered.

"I'm ok."

He was close by and I heaved a sigh of relief, tentatively touching my head and opening my eyes to see blood on my fingers. Then I looked down and saw what I hadn't yet felt. All my focus had been on the pain in my head and now shock prevented me from feeling as I stared at the shiny white shin bone protruding through my pants leg, blood rapidly soaking the fabric around it. Seconds ticked by and suddenly the pain was there, drowning out everything else.

_"Fuck!"_

My scream seemed deafening and I felt my heart hammering, my body beginning to tremble in fright and pain.

"How badly are you hurt?"

I struggled to turn my head and look at Edward, who I found lying on his back a few feet away, unmoving.

"I broke my leg," I said through my teeth, grinding them against the pain. "The bone's...sticking out."

"Get your belt. Tie it around your leg above the break to slow the bleeding. Prop it on something. You need to keep the wound above your heart."

"I know," I muttered.

"Is your phone ok? I landed on mine; it's broken," Edward said.

"I don't know."

I was fumbling my belt undone, every movement slow and clumsy as the agony and fear I was feeling hampered me. What if my phone was broken too? No one else in their right minds would be up here. How would we get help? Maybe Edward was ok. Maybe he could go to find someone.

"Can you get up?" I asked, finally pulling my belt free of the loops and pushing one end under my knee.

"I don't think so."

"Is anything broken?"

"I don't know. I can't tell."

"Shit," I groaned.

I slid the end of the belt through the buckle and clenched my jaw. I could barely bring myself to look at my injury; it was like something from a horror movie and I could see my career as a sports coach rapidly slipping away in front of my eyes. Would I ever be able to run again? Even walk properly without limping? What if we couldn't get help quickly enough and I lost the leg? Hands shaking, I took a deep breath and pulled the belt tight, trying not to let on how bad it felt and alarm Edward, but another scream burst from my lips and I found myself hanging onto consciousness with grim determination. Somehow I managed to secure the belt and then I began to shuffle backwards to where Edward lay, my fear increasing as I realised he still hadn't moved although his eyes were open, watching me.

"Does anything hurt?" I asked.

"No. My hands are tingling."

He lifted one hand about an inch and then lowered it again. My eyes drifted down his body and noted he was lying completely flat, nothing twisted awkwardly, but I had the terrifying feeling that he had injured his back or neck. Remembering my phone, I slid my hand into my pocket quickly and pulled it out, but found it broken, just as Edward's was. We were stuck there until someone found us and panic began to rise in me as I took another look at Edward and noticed the dark stain spreading outwards from his crotch and part way down his thighs. He had wet himself and he wasn't even aware it had happened. I almost stopped breathing as I opened up my backpack and pulled out the waterproof jacket, tucking it around his upper body before I took his hand in mine.

"Squeeze my hand, baby," I said shakily. "We're gonna be ok, someone will come for us."

His hand remained motionless in mine, but he gazed back at me, his eyes the colour of moss and unnervingly serene.

"I doubt anyone's up here. You'll have to try to get up and look for someone."

"I can't move with my leg like this," I protested. "Anyway, I'm not leaving you. Never." I blinked rapidly, trying to prevent my tears welling up and spilling over.

"Jacob." Edward's voice was firm and gentle. "I can't feel anything. You have to take care of yourself and try to find help somehow."

"I don't want to leave you here," I whimpered.

He had closed his eyes and I let my tears spill over now he couldn't see them.

"I'll be ok," he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," I choked. "Stay awake, ok? Keep talking to me."

"I am awake."

I knew there was no chance of me getting up and going anywhere. The pain in my leg was blinding and I was beginning to feel dizzy from the blow to my head and probably blood loss as well. Instead I edged closer to him, propped my ankle up on a boulder to raise the wound and wrapped an arm around him, thinking if I kept him warm, if I tried to keep us both warm, we would be alright and somebody would find us.

"Edward?" I whispered.

I brushed my lips against his cheek, but he didn't answer and his eyelids remained still. He was breathing, but he had slipped out of consciousness and I could almost feel my heart breaking as I realised he probably wouldn't make it unless someone, by some miracle, turned up right away. As it was, he was paralysed and the future we had planned was probably lost to us. Is this what fate had planned for us all along? Were we just toys for it to play with? Each time we had been given brief moments of incredible happiness, only to have it snatched away again as if it had never been. I struggled to sit up, rolling from my side to my back and sucking in a deep breath before I opened my mouth and yelled at the top of my lungs.

_"HELP! __Help us, please!"_

When I moved again, my leg slipped off the rock it was resting on and the broken limb hit the ground. The pain intensified to the extent where I couldn't think and my scream of agony echoed down the mountain, louder than my cry for help. I blinked rapidly as my peripheral vision began to shrink, struggling to fight off the blackness that was creeping over me, but it was too much. The pain in my head and my leg and my heart were too intense and I felt my head thump onto the rock beneath me as consciousness left me.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

I opened my eyes slowly in a haze of pain and realised immediately that we were no longer alone. Charlotte was pinning my upper body to the ground while Emmett's large hands gripped my right thigh a few inches above the knee. I could see Carlisle too, his hands around my ankle and I didn't want to see what they were doing, but I found I couldn't look away. The bottom half of my pants leg had been ripped off and the hideous wound was visible, blood still oozing thickly around the protruding bone. I felt sick and I shifted my gaze to Carlisle's face as he spoke.

"Jacob, you're going to be alright, try to stay calm."

"Where's Edward?" I asked. He was no longer beside me and my fear for his condition outweighed my anxiety over what they were about to do to my leg. "He's badly hurt."

"He's alright, don't worry."

"Where is he?"

My demand ended with a scream as the pain in my leg increased and I looked down just in time to see the bone disappearing back into the torn flesh as the two vampires pulled in opposite directions. At that point I must have lost consciousness again as I was unaware of being moved or anything else that was happening to me. I woke again to find my leg suspended in some kind of contraption while I lay on my back in Carlisle's surgery. My head was spinning as if I'd been drinking and I was numb, the pain in my leg gone. At least the limb was still there; I could see the toes sticking out at the end of the thick layer of bandages covering me from knee to ankle. I groaned and licked my dry lips, squinting around the room until Esme's face appeared out of the fog.

"Jacob, try not to move. Carlisle operated on your leg, you're going to be fine, but it'll be some time before you can move around. The wound needs to start healing before he can put you in plaster."

"Where's Edward?" I asked. Suddenly I didn't care about my leg. I wouldn't have cared if they'd cut it off if only they would tell me Edward was alive and that he wasn't paralysed.

"He's upstairs," Esme said.

"He's alive?"

My heart began to race and I ignored her instruction not to move, struggling to push myself up onto my elbows, causing the leg cradle to sway and my head to spin. I sank back against the pillows and squeezed my eyes shut, swallowing hard and hoping I wouldn't vomit.

"He'll be alright, Jacob."

"But...he was so badly injured; he couldn't feel anything. I thought his back or his neck must have been broken," I whispered. It was becoming an effort to speak with my mouth so dry.

"Carlisle is a very good doctor," Esme replied.

Her statement didn't seem to actually answer my question and I wondered why she didn't go into any more detail. In my fuzzy-headed state, no doubt a result of the morphine I'd been given for my leg and possibly the blow to the head as well, I couldn't think of another question to ask about his injuries.

"Can I see him?" I mumbled instead.

"Not for a while. He can't be moved right now and nor can you. Carlisle will talk to you when you're feeling better."

"May I have some water?"

I couldn't talk any more without at least wetting my lips and a moment later Esme's arm was under my shoulders, raising me enough to sip from a glass she had brought. After she had lowered me back onto the pillows, I fought to get my head straight.

"Esme, how is Edward not paralysed?"

When she didn't answer I opened my eyes again and discovered she had left the room. I tried to think, but it was too much effort and I felt myself slipping back into sleep. After a brief struggle I gave up and let myself sink into unconsciousness once more.

I didn't know how long I slept, but when I stirred again, I was in agony. My head throbbed and my leg felt much as it had when I first broke it. A scream burst from my lips before I could think about trying to swallow it. Zara sprang from the chair that she had been sitting in beside the bed and grasped my hand.

"It's ok, Jacob, Carlisle will be back in a second."

"Where's Edward?" I hissed through my teeth. Despite my pain, he was immediately on my mind again. Why hadn't Esme given me a straight answer?

"He's in your old room; he'll be alright, I promise," Zara said.

"He couldn't feel anything!" I exclaimed and then groaned, fighting desperately against the blackness which was trying to take me again.

"Sshh, take deep breaths..." Zara said soothingly, placing her cool hand on my forehead. Then I head footsteps and Carlisle's voice.

"The morphine's worn off, I think we need another shot."

"No!" I protested weakly.

The damned drug was making it impossible to think, but before I managed to say anything else, I felt the shot in my upper arm and I began to slip away. The next time I came to, I was alone and the pain was a dull, throbbing ache. My head still hurt, but felt clearer and I guessed the morphine must be wearing off. My leg was still in the cradle, but now sporting a plaster cast on which someone had already written a message in red. I raised myself slowly on my arms and leaned forward, squinting at the writing.

___'Get back on your feet, lazy mutt! E.'_

"Emmett," I murmured.

As if he had heard me, the door swung open and the big vampire strode in.

"Hey, buddy, how are you feeling?"

"Hungry," I said. It had been the last thing on my mind, but my stomach rumbled loudly and prompted the answer.

Emmett laughed. "Esme will fix you something. You in pain at all?"

"Not really. Kind of a dull ache. Emmett, tell me how Edward is. No one will tell me anything. Is he alright, really? I thought he might have...died." I gulped and held my breath as I waited for an answer. I hadn't wanted to acknowledge the thought that Edward may not have made it, but it was a possibility. And yet both Esme and Zara had said he was alright.

"He's alright," Emmett said, his golden eyes shifting away from my face.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me, but___how is he?_Can he move? Can he feel anything? Is he conscious?" I demanded.

Emmett opened his mouth to speak and then froze as a scream echoed down from the upper part of the house – a blood-curdling, agonised scream that chilled me to the bone and almost stopped my heart. It was Edward.

"Uh...yeah, he can feel," Emmett said awkwardly.

"What are they doing to him?"

A faint prickle of something began to come to me...something I hadn't been able to think about before because of the morphine and my determination not to acknowledge it. Edward had been horribly injured, unable to move anything except for his head. I'd known he was dying and even if we'd been found in time, was it likely that even the best surgeon could have fixed him, just like that, within a few days, to the extent where he was now screaming in apparent pain? We were in a house full of vampires...

"What did Carlisle do to him?" I shouted at Emmett.

"Jake..."

The doctor blurred into the room at that moment and pulled the covers off of me, revealing that I wore only shorts and had a catheter fitted, which he now swiftly removed, making me flinch.

"Emmett, get upstairs, now," Carlisle said urgently. "Esme! Charlotte!"

Emmett vanished in the blink of an eye and the two female vampires appeared at the side of the bed.

"Get Jacob out of the house," Carlisle instructed. "Take him to his parents. I'll give him another small shot for the journey."

"No! What's happening?" I cried, struggling as the doctor lowered my leg from the cradle and leaned towards me with a syringe in his hand. "What did you do to Edward?"

"Jacob..." He stopped as another ear-splitting scream came from upstairs, followed by a volley of bangs and crashes.

"Carlisle!" Emmett bellowed.

"Go!" Carlisle's order was aimed at Esme and I felt the brief scratch in my arm before he vanished at speed, causing a slight breeze to drift over me.

Charlotte wrapped a sheet around me and slid her arms under me suddenly, scooping me up as if she were lifting a child, sidling smoothly out of the door which Esme held wide. Despite her strength, she was tiny and I felt extremely precarious. I clutched firmly at her neck.

"Don't take me away, please," I begged. "I need to see Edward. Carlisle changed him, didn't he?"

"Jacob, we'll talk about this later," Esme said as we glided down the hallway.

"No!" My heart had begun to race in panic, my stomach knotted and I could already feel the morphine working, trying to pull me under again. "I have to see him. Please!" I licked my lips and summoned up as much strength as I could muster before I yelled at the top of my voice. ___"Edward!"_

I couldn't let them take me away from him and I clung desperately onto consciousness as Charlotte and Esme paused in the lobby and turned around to face the staircase. I didn't even see him come down the stairs; suddenly he was there, just feet away from me.

I thought I had gotten used to them by now, practically living in their house the way we had been, but I wasn't prepared to see him this way again. He was impossibly pale, his skin almost translucent, eyes ringed with faint purple, the pupils a dark red, the expression in them one of anguish and fear. His dark grey shirt only enhanced his paleness and my breath caught in my throat as I stared at my husband - ___my____vampire_- and felt...shock, fear, pity. My mind raced with a jumble of thoughts and I felt all of the worst things I could have felt in that second. Edward's face immediately showed that he could read minds the same as he had before and his eyes darkened further in agony, his jaw clenching. He blurred suddenly towards the door and the wood splintered, glass shattered and flew in all directions and then he was gone, leaving the remains of the door in a heap on the porch.

"Fuck!" Emmett hissed and it was only then that I realised he, Jasper, Carlisle and Zara had all followed Edward downstairs. Now the four of them shot out of the house together in pursuit of Edward and I gave up the fight against the drug that was determinedly trying to suck me down. My heart was stuttering as if it meant to give up and I felt tears raining down my face even as I succumbed and slipped back into oblivion.

When I opened my eyes I was lying on the couch in my parents' house, Esme sitting close by in an armchair. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus and she got up immediately and brought me a glass of water.

"H-how did I get here? Where's...Mom?" I mumbled.

"Jasper brought your truck down from the mountains a few days ago when we found you. I drove you here with Charlotte. She left a little while ago. Your house key was in your pocket," Esme explained. "I assume your parents are at work."

"What day is it?" I asked.

"Friday."

"Edward!" I gasped suddenly. Everything came flooding back and I lurched upwards, bracing my arms on the cushions to bring myself into a sitting position, my head spinning annoyingly as I did so.

"Carlisle called me a little while ago; they found him and took him back home."

"Esme...he read my mind," I groaned. "I was...shocked...scared...you should have prepared me. He must think...God, he must think I won't want him any more. I have to talk to him!"

My eyes filled with tears as I tried to imagine how Edward must be feeling. When we had first met in college and discovered we had known each other before, the idea that he had previously been a vampire had horrified him. He had gotten used to it eventually, but how must he have felt to wake up after the accident and find that again, he was immortal; dependent on blood; suspended at twenty-two years forever, with a human husband? He must be in agony.

I tried to think about how I felt. I was still struggling to shake off the effects of the morphine, but my head was clear enough to know that for me, nothing would change. He was my life, whichever form he was in, but what would the future hold for us? I would age away from him, we would constantly have to uproot ourselves and move along with the rest of the Cullens, I would have to leave my family to be with him and then eventually I would die anyway and leave him alone. My mind became a blur of what might or might not happen, but through it all, I kept on remembering the first thoughts in my mind when I had seen him and I cursed myself for how I made him feel. I dropped my face into my hands and sobbed and the cool hand of Esme rubbing circles on my back did nothing to comfort me.

"Edward will understand," she was saying. "He had much the same reaction himself when he woke. When he accepts what's happened, he'll understand your feelings."

"But I don't feel like that! It was just...an instant. The drugs and the worry and everything and all of you refusing to tell me anything and then suddenly he was there and I just...he must think I hate him," I sniffed. "I can't stay here, Esme, I have to see him...let him know it's alright."

"You can't be there right now, Jacob, it's too dangerous for you," Esme said firmly. "Until we get his thirst under control, you'll have to stay here."

"Edward wouldn't hurt me," I protested.

"He wouldn't want to, but you have to remember he's a newborn. He'll find it very difficult to be around humans for..."

"When Jasper changed Alexa you took them to Alaska for...___months!"_I remembered in alarm.

"Yes..."

"Was there really no other way?"

Esme shook her head sadly. "His spinal cord was badly damaged, high up, near the base of his neck. Even if he had lived he would have been paralysed from the neck down, but it was too late for Carlisle to save him as he was. His organs had begun to shut down from shock and hypothermia and his heart stopped a few minutes after we found you."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Go on."

"It was an easy decision. We had to give him another chance after everything you two have been through."

I nodded slowly. "I guess...if I'd been awake I would have said the same. I don't think he would have wanted it, but I wouldn't have been able to let him go."

"Edward will be alright," Esme said gently. "It'll take some time for him to get used to this and for him to get himself under control, so you're going to have to be patient."

"But...somehow I have to let him know it's ok. I have to talk to him."

"Why don't you write him a letter?"

"A letter?" I glanced at her with a frown.

"It'll be the easiest way. He may not want to talk on the phone..."

"Fu...sorry...um...is there no way I can see him?" I sighed.

"I'm sorry, Jacob. It's not safe for you and it would put him in a very difficult position. If he lost control, he'd never forgive himself."

"Ok. There's some paper in the drawer over there," I said, pointing.

Esme fetched paper and pen and found me a shirt and cut-offs to put on, since I was still wrapped in the sheet. She helped me dress and then left me alone, heading into the kitchen to make me something to eat, despite my protest that my appetite had deserted me. I felt that even a mouthful of anything at that moment wouldn't stay down, but I hadn't eaten in days and she insisted that I try. As I heard her opening cupboards and drawers, slicing and chopping, I picked up the pen and began to write.

___'My Edward,_

___'I hate that I have to write to you; that I can't stand in front of you and say this. I know they're right when they tell me being near you will only make things harder for you right now, but it doesn't mean I like it and I know that putting my words on paper won't sound the way I want it to. I want to be able to look in your eyes and let you into my mind so you can see what I'm thinking and what I feel._

___'I know my thoughts hurt you and I want you to know that I'm sorry and that it didn't mean anything. They didn't tell me they changed you. I was out of my mind on morphine since the accident and when I saw you, yes, it was a shock and I was scared, but it was a split-second. I knew you would have woken____up and been horrified, maybe hated that you found yourself a vampire again and I was more afraid for you than for myself. But what's important is that you're still here. We still have each other._

___'I love you, Edward, whatever form you're in and I want you to remember that when I first fell in love with you, you were the same way you are now. Maybe we were meant to return to that all along. I don't know what fate or whatever it is meant for us, but you're my husband, the love of my life, and nothing is going to change the way I feel about you, or keep me away from you._

___'Call me, please, at my parents' house. Let me tell you this properly. Again, I love you, with all my heart and soul._

___'Jacob.'_

I folded the sheet of paper twice and wrote his name on it, not bothering with an envelope. Somehow an envelope seemed too formal and perhaps he wouldn't even open it. Perhaps he would think it held something bad; a note from me to say that we couldn't be together any more.

"God, what if he doesn't read it?" I groaned as Esme came back into the room. "Will you tell him?"

"Of course I'll tell him." She took the note and passed me a plate piled high with chicken salad sandwiches. "Edward will understand; he just needs some time. Now eat. I don't want to see a crumb left on that plate. You need your strength."

I nodded and began to eat numbly, forcing each bite down and not even noticing what I was putting into my mouth. It seemed dry like sawdust and I gulped water in between mouthfuls to help myself swallow. My stomach was a knot of fear and my heart ached in my chest. Each minute that passed was another minute of Edward thinking of my shock at his appearance and I wanted to ask Esme to leave and go to him, to make him read the letter, but I knew she wouldn't go anywhere and leave me alone in the house.

I glanced at the clock and realised with relief that Mom had finished work and just then the sound of her car pulling up outside drew Esme to her feet to look out of the window.

"Do you want me to stay and talk to your mother?" she asked.

"No. Please, go and see Edward. Make him read the letter. Tell him...tell him I love him and it doesn't make any difference," I said miserably.

Esme stayed just long enough to speak to Mom and explain that Edward and I had an accident in the mountains and that I had broken my leg. Then she left and Mom came into the room, her face shocked and worried.

"What on earth happened? Why didn't you call me? Your poor leg!"

"My leg's ok. Carlisle fixed it up," I said. "I've been on morphine up to now. I guess the Cullens didn't call because they didn't want to worry you unnecessarily."

"Well, I'm surprised at Esme," Mom frowned. "She's a mother; I would have thought letting us know would have been the first thing...!"

"Mom!" I interrupted. "Don't blame her, please, she probably wasn't thinking straight. Edward..." I stopped.

"Is he alright? Esme didn't seem to want to talk about him."

What should I tell her? We had never told my parents the part about the Cullens being vampires, thinking it would have been one step too far. They had easily accepted the fact that I had lived before and that I had once been capable of changing into a wolf and at a push they had accepted that Edward too had lived before, with me, and that we had been brought together once again in this life. To tell them that the Cullens were vampires, some of them hundreds of years old, and that Edward had been the same and had been changed again to save him, was too much. I couldn't expect them to swallow that and I doubted Edward would want me to tell them.

"Is Edward badly hurt?" Mom was saying.

"He's...um...he broke his back," I said. "He might be...paralysed. I begged them to let me stay, but they need to...um...focus on him and they figured...I'd be better off here with you to help me."

"Oh, sweetheart...I'm so sorry. Have you been able to talk to him?"

"No, he was...unconscious until today." I wanted to beg her to drive me back to the Cullens' right away, but I knew they wouldn't let us in and as much as I didn't think Edward would hurt me, regardless of what Esme had said, I couldn't put my own mother in potential danger.

"I'm surprised at Carlisle keeping you apart," Mom frowned. "But I suppose if they need to concentrate on caring for him...maybe we can take you to visit in a few days."

"Yeah...maybe," I said despondently.

"How did the accident happen?"

It was the first time I had thought about it properly, I realised. During the brief periods I had been conscious since, all I had been able to think about was Edward.

"It was my fault!" I blurted in despair. "We hiked up Swallow Peak and I decided to take a short cut back to the camp. Usually it's fine; I've come down that way a dozen times; Dad showed me it when I was a kid. But there's been so much rain, the rocks were loose, the ground started sliding out from under us. We fell maybe...twenty, thirty feet. Oh, God...Edward would be ok if I hadn't been so keen to get back before it rained!"

I burst into tears again and Mom dropped to her knees beside the couch, wrapping her arms around me and rocking me the way she had when I was a child and I had been upset over something. I clung onto her and wept for Edward...my poor beautiful vampire, whom I couldn't be with; whom I couldn't reassure that nothing had changed and that I still loved him with everything I had in me.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

By the time my tears eventually dried up, I was exhausted and I fell asleep where I lay on the couch. I didn't wake until Dad came home from work and I realised that Mom had somehow managed to keep my sisters quiet when they finished school. I struggled to sit up and talk, but the pain in my leg was making it difficult to think and I discovered that the morphine had well and truly worn off. I tried to hide it for about thirty minutes, but Mom noticed immediately and asked me how bad it was.

"I would have thought Carlisle would give you some medication to use," she frowned.

"He probably forgot. They're focused on Edward right now," I said through my teeth.

"I'll call him."

She picked up the phone, but before she even had chance to key in the number, there was a knock on the door and Chloe, looking out of the window, announced that it was 'Aunt Esme'. Mom went to the door and returned minutes later with a box of strong oral painkillers and a pair of crutches. I took two of the pills with a glass of water and hoped they would work quickly.

"Did she say how Edward is?" I asked hopefully.

"She said he's 'stable'. What does that even mean?"

"I guess he's...no better or worse."

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping I wouldn't cry again. I should have been with him, reassuring him that nothing would change between us, but they weren't going to let me near him and the one word that was stuck in my head was 'months'. It could be months before they would let me go to the house in case Edward lost control and attacked me. I knew he would never do that intentionally, but a thirsty newborn wouldn't be thinking about the consequences if he could smell blood; it would be instinctive. Perhaps I could talk to him on the phone, if only he would accept the call.

"Mom...may I use your phone?" I asked. "Mine was broken in the fall."

"Of course."

She handed me her cell and I punched in Edward's number from memory, before I remembered his phone had been destroyed too. I tried the house phone, but it rang endlessly and no one picked up and I didn't know any of the other Cullens' numbers - all of them had been in my phone contacts. For the moment I had to give up and I lay back with a sigh. I felt sick and worried, my chest hurt with fear and longing for Edward and suddenly I was feeling very drowsy again, presumably due to the meds. Dad helped me move to my room where I lay on the bottom bunk, thinking about all the times Edward and I had lain here together, squashed into the narrow space, horny and frustrated, forced to wait until morning to jerk off in the shower. Now I lay here alone while my husband tried to deal with what he was, sleepless, thinking I was horrified by his change. Had he read my letter? Fresh tears flooded my eyes and spilled from the corners, rolling down each side of my face to the pillow. There had to be some way I could see him without it making things harder for him. I just had to figure out what that was.

Eventually the painkillers pulled me into a deep and dreamless sleep and when I woke, it was already morning and the house was quiet. I guessed my sisters must have left for school until I remembered it was the weekend. They had probably gone to spend the day with friends. My leg was hurting again, but not so badly as before and I experimentally sat up, carefully moving my legs off of the bed and reaching for the crutches. My bladder was bursting and I was in desperate need of a shower, but unsure whether I could take one with my leg in plaster.

Mom had left my door open and I moved slowly out into the hallway. Dad appeared immediately to ask if I needed any help, but so far I was managing the crutches well enough.

"Can I take a shower?" I asked.

"You have to keep that leg dry. You'll be able to have a shallow bath though. I put one of those little plastic stools from when your sisters were babies in the end of the bath so you can prop your foot on it and keep it out of the water."

"Thanks, Dad," I said in surprise.

"Leave the door unlocked," he said. "If you need any help getting out or anything, just holler."

I spent an hour in the bathroom, soaking in about a foot of water with my leg raised on the stool, slowly sponging myself from head to foot and washing my hair. My upper body was strong enough for me to lift myself up just by using my arms and hooking my good leg over the side of the bath and I managed to dry myself and put on the clean clothes Mom had placed beside the sink for me. By the time I emerged I felt better and I ate breakfast before I tried calling the Cullens again. This time Jasper answered.

"How is he?" I said at once.

"How are you?" Jasper returned.

"I'm fine, Jas, please, tell me about Edward."

"He's...he needs some time to accept what he is."

"God," I groaned. "He hates it, doesn't he?"

"He'll come around. You're just going to have to be patient, Jacob."

"If I could see him..."

"I know, it'd probably help him, but you can't. You'd be risking too much, for both of you."

"Do you know if he read my letter?" I asked.

"I only know that Esme gave it to him. He's been in his room ever since so...I'm sorry I can't give you better news."

"How long, do you think? It won't be months, will it?"

"Jake, remember when I...lost my way? I needed months. Alexa handled the whole thing better than I did. For a newborn, she was amazingly calm and probably wouldn't have done more than smile if she had a half dozen humans in front of her with bleeding wounds, but Edward...he's volatile."

"Can I talk to him?" I had felt a small spark of hope when Jasper answered the phone, but my heart had begun to sink as the conversation progressed. Edward was suffering, probably distraught, and I couldn't do anything to comfort him.

"I can try to get him on the phone. He's not really talking to any of us yet though."

"Isn't he hunting with you?" I asked anxiously.

"He's refused so far."

"Shit, Jasper." I clenched my fists until the phone creaked and I was forced to relax. "Is he feeding at all?"

"No."

I swore again as panic began to rise in me. I could remember us being in Florence after the Cullens and the pack rescued us from Volterra, when Edward had been completely drained of blood. Carlisle had fed him through a tube and then I had helped by giving him cupfuls of blood, but he had been horribly weak and we'd all feared he may die.

"This is ridiculous," I said angrily. "I could help him!"

"I know, Jake, just hold on and I'll try to get him to talk to you." He didn't sound hopeful, however, and I listened as he knocked on a door. "Edward! Jacob's on the phone; I think you should talk to him. He's worried about you."

There was clearly no answer and Jasper knocked again.

"Edward, come on, open the door!"

It went on for a few more minutes before he spoke to me.

"He's locked in. I tried using my ability on him, but he's too strong; he's blocking it. I'm sorry, Jake, I don't know what else I can do. We'll just have to wait."

"For how long?" I cried. "Until he's too weak to open the door? Until he dies?"

"Of course not; if it goes on much longer, we'll break in there. Look, I need to go, but Emmett or I will keep letting you know what's happening."

"Wait, Jasper, give me your number," I said quickly. "And Emmett's. They were in my phone, but..."

He reeled off the numbers and I wrote them down, my hand shaking. I was horrified by what Jasper had told me and my heart ached when I hung up. If Edward didn't feed, only just having been changed, he would starve very quickly and in the meantime his venom would be burning his throat and stomach, causing a lot of discomfort. I remembered all this from discussions with the Cullens before, when I had simply been interested to learn about them properly and now I punched the couch cushion beside me in frustration. I could help him if I was there, I was convinced of it, but they wouldn't let me. There had to be a way.

"Jacob?" Dad came into the room, his face worried and suddenly I wondered how much of my side of the conversation he had heard. The door was open and I hadn't kept my voice down. Mom appeared too and they both sat down close to me.

"We heard some of what you said," Dad continued. "I think you need to explain a few things to us."

"I'm not sure I can. Not in a way you'd understand...or believe."

"Why don't you give it a try? There's clearly something strange going on. You were talking about Edward hunting...being too weak to open the door." Mom's face was completely confused. "I thought he broke his back. Hunting...what were you talking about?"

"We understand there are a lot of pretty unbelievable things about you and him," Dad prompted. "Is he somehow...well, I hardly know what sort of question to ask." His brow furrowed.

I had no idea what to say. How could I tell my parents that Edward and all of the Cullens were vampires? It would sound ridiculous. They had believed everything else, but to tell them that Edward was a vampire and that it was the second time Carlisle had turned him...I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"I can't." I shook my head. "Please don't ask me. He might not even...live."

I began to cry again and thankfully they dropped the questions, but I knew it would only be a matter of time before they pressed me for some answers. In the meantime, I had to try to figure out a way to help Edward.

I managed on only two doses of painkillers that day - one with breakfast and the other before I went to bed to help me sleep. After that it was down to one a day at bedtime and somehow a week passed and nothing had changed. Mom took time off work to make sure I wasn't alone in the house, even though I could get around well enough with the crutches, but I knew it was my state of mind she was more worried about. I called Jasper or Emmett every day and they were unable to give me better news. Edward wouldn't come out of his room and barely even communicated with them. I became more and more worried and repeatedly begged them to let me visit, regardless of the danger I might be putting myself in, but each time they refused.

Carlisle had spoken to me twice now, trying to convince me that they were doing the best thing for both of us, but I wouldn't accept it and I was finding it more and more difficult to have proper conversations with any of them, knowing that I was being overheard by Mom. She questioned me again when Dad and the girls were at work and school and I realised I had said far too much and had only given her more cause to worry.

"Jacob, why can't you tell me what's going on?" she pleaded. "You know how much we love Edward. Something just isn't right here. The things you say to Carlisle and the others...they don't make sense. Maybe Dad and I can help if you just tell us."

"You can't, not with this," I sighed.

"We've accepted everything you've told us up to now, haven't we?" she said sadly. "What is so different about this that you think we wouldn't support you? Or believe you?"

"He's..." I stopped with a groan. "It's too much. It's fairy story stuff."

"You mean something similar to a young boy called Jacob turning into a wolf to defend his home almost a century ago? Falling in love and marrying his sweetheart and then finding him again in the present? Don't you think that's fairy story stuff?"

"He's not human," I blurted and then bit my lip and closed my eyes, not wanting to see the sceptical look on her face.

"In what way?"

"He's a..." Fuck, I really was going to tell her. "Vampire," I whispered, lifting my eyelids reluctantly. Her face was surprised, curious even, but not disbelieving.

"How can that be?"

"I don't really know where to start."

"Try the beginning," Mom said.

"I guess later I could show you Billy Black's journal - he was my father before, remember? He wrote about them. Anyway...um...the Quileute wolves go back centuries and they were intended to protect the La Push Reservation, but from...vampires. I can't believe I'm telling you this."

"It might seem unbelievable to most people, honey, but Dad and I are both pretty open-minded. A lot of these things are less unbelievable than you might think. Didn't we say before, when you told us about the other things, that all tribes have history that most people think are just stories?"

"Yes, you did. Ok...the Cullens were around a hundred years ago, most of them way before that actually. They and the pack I was part of had a truce whereby they would keep off of each other's lands, but come together to fight off common enemies, which were rogue...vampires."

"The Cullens? All of them?" Now Mom did frown a touch sceptically.

"Remember when you first met Carlisle and Esme?" I asked. "How they shook hands with gloves on? How Esme wore layers of clothes that Christmas and kept her hands on the heater before Chloe and Claire hugged her? Have you noticed their eyes, all that strange shade of gold? How pale they are? They never eat or drink anything."

"Well...actually, I have noticed all of those things and some other things too. I guess it never really crossed my mind to question it. I touched Esme at your wedding - grasped her hand. She snatched it away quickly, but I felt her temperature and her flesh was odd; harder than it should be." She sucked her breath in sharply. "Are you saying these people are _killers?"_

"No, they're not. They live off of animals. That was why the Quileutes kept a truce with them; they were relatively harmless. When I Imprinted on Edward, it horrified me, more because of who and what he was than anything else. Most of what I said before was true; we loved the same girl and after she died, we got close. The rest of the Cullens and the pack were against it, but there wasn't much they could do about it. Losing my Imprint would have killed me and in fact did eventually. He was killed and I followed not long after. It's an enormously long story and maybe if you can accept this, I'll go into it all properly some day. Maybe with Edward...if he makes it."

"There's something I'm not grasping here," Mom said. "If this is all true - and I don't disbelieve you, it's just a lot to take in - then how is it we never noticed with Edward? The number of times we've all hugged him..."

"He was human, Mom, just a regular kid like me, reincarnated from the original Edward. That accident broke his spine; he was paralysed from the neck down. I yelled for help, but I passed out from the pain and blood loss from my leg. The Cullens came to help us and Carlisle told me Edward was dying, almost gone when they got to us. He wouldn't have made it, so Carlisle...changed him...again. Now I can't see him because he's..." I paused. If she accepted all of this and I told her Edward could be a danger to me, it would be just one more person - or two if we talked to Dad - who would keep me away from him.

"...he doesn't want to see me," I continued. "He thinks I hate what happened to him; that I don't want him any more. I saw him briefly and it was a shock and he saw how I felt."

"So this is what you meant when you've talked on the phone to them about hunting?"

I nodded. "He won't do it. I think he wishes they hadn't done this to him; that he'll just...die." I blinked rapidly, determined not to begin crying again. I still feared I had made an enormous mistake by telling Mom. Any person other than a Quileute would think I must have sustained severe brain damage from the bang on the head. A tear spilled over despite my determination to hold it back.

"Jacob, don't cry, sweetheart, I hate seeing you like this." She kneeled down beside the couch and took my hand in both of hers. "As I said, this is an awful lot to take in, but I'll get there. Won't Edward even talk to you?"

"No. He's locked in his room; he won't even talk to the others most of the time. I don't know how much longer he can last; he must be getting so weak."

"I hate to ask this, but if he's a...a vampire, how can things work out for you? You were together before, but..."

"Exactly, we were together before. I knew him like this first and it makes no difference to me. We'd figure it out, but I can't even..."

I broke off suddenly, my breath catching in my throat as I remembered something; something that had been lurking in the back of my mind all week, but for some reason had refused to come out until now. A memory - a significant detail that I had overlooked and I cast my mind back to Volterra and the cell where Edward and I had been kept.

_Edward was rigid, nostrils flaring, a low growl coming from between his clenched teeth. One of the guards chuckled evilly as my vampire reacted to the smell of the blood of the girl who was his victim. Suddenly I was pinned with my back to the rear wall of the cage. I barely had time to suck in a breath before Edward's teeth tore into my neck and he began drawing my blood from me in strong gulps. My heartbeat quickened, pumping my life force faster through my veins to the point from where it was leaving my body. I closed my eyes, trying not to grimace at the sharp pain of Edward's teeth. I slid my arms around him, holding tight to him as he continued to feed. I could feel his anguish over the fact that he had been forced into doing what he had so far refused and I attempted to soothe him._

_"It's alright, Edward, it's alright," I murmured over and over. I didn't want him to feel guilty and in truth, I would have given him every last drop of my blood if he needed it rather than see him suffer. Immediately he dragged his mouth away from my neck and pushed himself away from me, staggering backwards and thrusting his hands into his hair, tugging at the roots. I put a hand on the wall behind me, dizzy from the blood loss, my legs wobbling._

_"It's not alright," he said hoarsely. "We can't drink wolf blood; it's poison to us."_

"Jacob? Are you alright?" Mom was shaking my shoulder.

"Yes," I gasped. "I had one of my...memories. I know I can help Edward. I need to talk to Jasper or Emmett. Do you mind giving me some privacy? I really don't want to give you any more to swallow right now."

"Alright, but we'll talk about this again, as soon as you've done what you need to do." Mom left the room and closed the door and I snatched her phone from the coffee table, punching in Jasper's number, which I now had fixed in my mind.

"Hello, Jacob," he said a moment later.

"Jasper!"

"Are you alright?"

"No, but I thought of something; a way I can help Edward."

"Jake..."

"I'm surprised none of you thought of it. I'm a direct descendant of the original Jacob - well, of his sister, but they had the same blood. Which means I still have that blood in my veins now - wolf blood. It's poison to you. Edward won't..."

"Jacob, it wouldn't make any difference," Jasper interrupted. "He was so desperate in Volterra he attacked you anyway."

"But he's weak, isn't he? If he knew...if I could tell him..." I stopped and tried a different angle. "What if you and Emmett and Carlisle were all there, just in case? I _have_ to see him! How can I just sit here while you tell me he's getting worse? If I lose him again there won't be any point to me going on anyway. This isn't how it's supposed to be! Fate didn't give us a second chance just to let us die again!" I was shouting and I paused, panting, waiting for him to speak.

"Let me talk to Carlisle. None of us want to lose him, but we have a duty to protect you...all of you..."

"You wouldn't be saying that if I was still able to phase!" I snapped. "He's my husband! If you won't come get me, I'll have my Dad drive me over there and I'm sure you don't want an extra person putting in danger, do you?"

"Alright, Jacob! Calm down. You haven't talked to your parents, have you?" Jasper asked worriedly.

"I talked to Mom. She already suspected something wasn't right."

"Damnit," the vampire muttered. "Give me some time. Carlisle's not here right now, but I'll call you back as soon as I speak to him. Believe it or not, I am on your side. None of us want you two to be apart and seeing Edward like this is...it's sickening. Carlisle feels like he shouldn't have done it; like he was selfish. If I could control Edward, you'd have been here days ago, but I can't. He shuts me down and his mind is closed to Zara too. Physically, I think he's very weak, but mentally...we don't come close."

"Do what you can to get Carlisle to let me come over there," I said. "If he says no, I'm coming tomorrow anyway."

When I finished talking to Jasper, I was pissed. I wished I had taken this stance days ago, but I had still been in pain, sick with worry, not sure what to do for the best and struggling to keep my parents from having to face the rest of the story. I felt like I had wasted too much time and that Edward had suffered longer because I hadn't been able to get my ass off of the couch and do something about it. In addition I was pumped with adrenalin, determined to carry out my threat to turn up at the house if I had to, although I would find a way to get there without bringing Dad into it. However, I was relieved when it didn't come to that, but at the same time even more alarmed.

Mom came back in a few minutes later and I realised she must have heard most of what I said, or shouted, during my conversation with Jasper.

"I'm going to see Edward," I said firmly. "I'll make him listen to me. I wrote him a letter that Esme took to him a week ago, but I don't even know if he read it. He's starving to death."

"Why don't you wait for Dad to get home?" Mom suggested. "He'll drive you over there. You know he'll be just as accepting as I am over this and he'll make sure you get to see Edward."

"I may do that if they don't come pick me up soon," I agreed.

I waited impatiently for Jasper to get back to me, but time passed and he didn't call. I was unsure if he was waiting for Carlisle to get home or would try to call him wherever he was and I grew more and more anxious as the afternoon crawled by. However, when Mom had gone to collect Claire and Chloe from school, I was surprised when Emmett and Zara arrived at the house. I saw them through the window as they climbed out of Emmett's truck and I hauled myself up as quickly as I could, fumbling with my crutches and eventually swinging out of the room to the front door. I leaned on the wall while I pulled the door open and immediately noted the worried expressions on both vampires' faces.

"What happened?" I demanded immediately, my worry increasing and my heart pounding in my chest.

"You're coming back with us," Emmett said, gripping my arm to help me. "Edward's dying."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N As always, thank you to everyone who is reading, following, reviewing etc - very much appreciated :o)**

CHAPTER FOUR

My hand was shaking as I pulled my keys out of my pocket and locked the door. Then Zara took my crutches from me and Emmett picked me up bodily, carried me to the truck and placed me on the seat. I slid across to the middle and the two vampires climbed in either side of me. In seconds we were on the road, Emmett hunched over the wheel as he stood on the gas pedal.

"Tell me about Edward," I said. My heart was racing and I balled my fists in my lap as I waited for one of them to speak. Emmett had said he was _dying._

"He's weak, like in Volterra," Emmett answered. "Not quite so bad yet, I don't think, but getting that way. We broke the door down and Carlisle tried force-feeding him with a tube when he refused to take a cup, but he pulled it out."

"Oh, God," I groaned. "How long before...?"

"Jacob..." Zara grasped my hand and squeezed it.

"Tell me," I insisted.

"Carlisle says he'll probably go into a coma-like state by tomorrow morning. At that point he wouldn't be able to pull the feeding tube out, at least until he wakes again."

"Why didn't you come for me before?"

"You know why," Emmett said. "The danger to you, mainly, as well as the fact that if Edward hurt you, he'd feel worse than he does now. There's something else."

"What?" I snapped.

"We tried using you like a carrot...you know, feed, get yourself under control and Jacob will be able to come over and be with you. He said he doesn't want to see you."

"You tell me this _now?"_

"What use would it have been to tell you when you were stuck home worrying?" sighed Emmett.

"Did he even read my letter? The one I sent back with Esme the first day?" I asked.

"I don't know, I don't think so. It's on the bed table in his room."

"Fuck!" I spat. "I'm sorry, Zara."

"I think the situation calls for a few 'fucks'," Zara said quietly.

"Did you read my mind just before Esme and Charlotte brought me home?" I asked her.

"Yes. It wasn't as bad as you think." Her hand gripped mine more firmly. "Shock and fear, yes, but also love and alarm that we were separating you. Edward's scared, mostly. I got into his head that day before he locked himself in his room. He doesn't know how to be one of us yet; he can't accept it because he thinks there's no way for your lives to continue together. Even though you did it before, it was different then. You were stronger; a hell of a lot stronger than a human. He remembered a long time ago before you and he got it together, there was a girl..."

"Bella," Emmett put in and I nodded.

"He cared for her, but he was too afraid to do anything more than hold her hand in case he crushed her. He doesn't see how he can be close to you now."

"We'll work it out," I said, determinedly swallowing the lump in my throat. "I'll make him listen to me."

None of us spoke much for the rest of the journey. It seemed interminable, despite the fact that Emmett was blatantly ignoring the speed limit and honking aggressively at vehicles in front until they moved over to let him pass. It was no doubt just luck that got us to Forks without being pulled over by the cops and at last the truck turned up the long driveway leading to the Cullens' house. Charlotte came out onto the porch as we parked up and again, Emmett carried me from the truck to the house to save time.

"Any news?" Zara asked.

"Carlisle tried the tube again, but he won't take it," Charlotte said.

"Take me up there!" I exclaimed and Emmett began to charge up the stairs three at a time, Zara following with my crutches.

Jasper and Carlisle were outside the room I shared with Edward when we lived in the house. The door had been completely removed from the hinges and as Emmett set me down carefully on my uninjured leg, I rested a hand on the jamb and looked in fearfully.

Edward lay on the bed, huddled on one side, still wearing the dark grey shirt I had last seen him in and black pants. His eyes were closed, the lids purple, his skin translucent and lips almost grey. He didn't move or show any sign that he was alive and I had to remind myself that the fact he wasn't breathing was normal. Tears pricked my eyes and I took one crutch and shuffled into the room, ignoring the Cullens who all remained outside the door, just in case they needed to come to my rescue.

I reached the side of the bed and propped the crutch against the wall, then glanced down at the items on the bed table - four foam cups with lids, containing blood; the folded letter I had written to Edward; his _wedding ring. _My heart lurched and I looked at his left hand just to be sure, noting it curled into a loose fist against his chest, the third finger unadorned.

"Edward?"

I lowered myself carefully onto the bed and rested on my side facing him. He remained completely still, but his nostrils flared slightly as he caught my scent. I reached out tentatively and touched his cheek, marvelling at the ice-cold smooth texture, even though I knew what to expect. What I didn't expect was for him to jerk his head back suddenly, away from my touch. His eyes opened slowly, a deep burgundy shade, the expression in them utter anguish. His lips parted slightly and his almost colourless tongue emerged to moisten them.

"Jacob...you can't...be here. I don't...want to hurt you." He spoke in a whisper, each word sounding painful to form, which it probably was. His throat would be burning with venom.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said firmly. "You're my husband; I love you. I'm guessing you didn't read my letter, but it said that nothing has changed for me. I know you read my thoughts when we first saw each other and I'm sorry I hurt you, but that was nothing...an initial reaction. I could barely think properly with all the drugs Carlisle pumped into me. I would have been here the whole time if they'd have let me."

"You have to go." Edward closed his eyes again and turned his face until it was mostly hidden in the pillow. "I don't want to...be like this. What we had...it's over. I'm a...monster."

"No, you're not," I said firmly. "Didn't we go over this four years ago when you realised you'd been a vampire in the past? You were then and you are now, a sweet, loving person that I fell in love with twice over. I fell in love with you like this the first time, remember? The first time I ever held your hand, the first time I kissed you, the first time I married you, you were a vampire and now you are again. It's no different. You're my Edward, my life..."

"There's no life in me," he said bitterly. "My heart doesn't beat and won't, ever again. I died out there on the mountain. You should have just let me go."

"Jacob was unconscious; I explained it was my decision," Carlisle put in from the door.

"If I had been awake, I would have asked him..._begged him_...to save you however he could," I continued. "I can't live without you. I couldn't before and I can't now. My life would be empty without you in it, whatever form you're in. I loved you as a vampire and I loved you as a human. You came full circle and I feel exactly the same. I love you and I want you. Edward, look at me."

He didn't move for a moment, but then slowly he turned his head and opened his eyes again. The expression in them hadn't changed; he looked as if he had no hope at all.

"I'm not letting you go," I said firmly. "I'm not letting you give up and die."

"I don't want this," Edward whispered. "I don't want to be...like this. I'm stuck in this moment for eternity. In fifty or sixty years you'll die and what then? Jacob, let me go, please. You'll move on from this; be happy with..."

"I'll never be happy without you!" I exclaimed. "After everything we've been through already, we were brought back together a second time, given a second chance. I know you don't really want to throw that away. Do you think if you died, I could just get over you? Live my life alone or with somebody else? It would never happen. I followed you the first time because I couldn't go on without you and I thought I could find you somewhere. Eventually we did find each other and damnit, Edward, if you go again..." I paused and swallowed hard, trying to stop my voice shaking. "...I'll come with you."

"You can't..." His head lifted slightly from the pillow. "Promise me...you won't do that."

"I can't. You're everything to me."

"How can I be with you?" His head lowered again and he moved a hand to his throat, grimacing. "Do you know how hard...this is? If I wasn't so weak...I wouldn't be able to stop myself."

"It'll get easier. When your thirst is under control you'll be ok around me and everybody else. I know you wouldn't hurt me."

"You shouldn't trust me. I don't trust myself." His brows drew together and his eyes closed again. "Please, leave me alone."

"Jake, perhaps you should give it some time," Jasper said from behind me.

"There isn't much time left," I replied, pulling myself up slowly until I was sitting. "I'm not giving up."

"Maybe we should try the tube again," Emmett suggested. "If me and Jas hold him down...he's getting too weak to fight."

Edward whimpered and covered his face with his hand. "Don't..."

"Edward..." I slid my hand under his neck and tried to lift him. He felt surprisingly heavy compared to what I was used to, but I eventually managed to pull him up and tuck my arm under him so that his body rested against my side, his head on my shoulder. His nostrils fluttered again and he gulped audibly.

"Jacob, be careful, for God's sake," Jasper groaned.

"I'm not gonna let them force-feed you...not yet, anyway," I said. "But I'm not letting you slip away either." I reached out with the other hand and took one of the foam cups from the bed table. "Do this for me, ok?"

"No..." His head moved slightly and he tried to turn away from the rich, coppery scent emanating from the straw that protruded from the cup lid, but the slight movement brought his nose into contact with my neck and he moaned painfully.

"The least you can do for me is let me talk to you and you're not going to be able to do that much longer if you don't feed," I said. "Just one cup, Edward, please."

I hated the things I was saying to him, trying to make him feel guilty, telling him I wouldn't go on living without him, but I would have done anything to keep him with me. I was convinced that if he would just give it a chance, things would be the way they were in the beginning. I wasn't a wolf and my weakness in comparison to him would pose a problem, but not an insurmountable one. I was certain that we could make it work and that we loved each other enough to get past the obstacles that would doubtless appear in our path. I just had to keep him conscious, make him more comfortable until he could see that.

He turned his face away from my skin and I held the cup closer, the straw an inch from his nose. I could see Jasper, Emmett and Carlisle poised at the door, ready to fly in and pull me away if things went badly. Their presence hadn't concerned me as I talked to him and tried to persuade him, but I wondered if they were making Edward uncomfortable - his whole family waiting outside the door to try to force him to live, watching and listening to everything he and I did and said. He nodded fractionally against my shoulder and I turned my head towards them.

"Guys, will you all back off a little, please?"

"We can't do that, Jacob, it's too risky," Carlisle answered.

"They're ok for the moment. We're really not helping Edward right now," Zara said from behind the others. "At least go to the other end of the landing."

After a moment, the vampires all drew away from the door, much to my relief, and disappeared from view. I turned back to Edward and noticed he had opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the cup in front of him.

"You must be in agony," I said. "You described it to me once and my Imprint let me feel a little of it - the burning. Please try this. I know you don't want to, but you'll feel better and it'll be easier to talk."

I nudged the end of the straw against his lips, expecting him to try to turn away again, but suddenly his mouth opened and then closed around the narrow plastic tube. I held my breath as I watched the thick, dark liquid slowly make its way up the straw and into his mouth and then I sighed with relief as I felt the weight of the cup gradually lessen as he continued to drink the contents. When it was empty, he let go of the straw and licked his lips, the tip of his tongue leaving a dark red smear on the lower one.

"I don't understand how you can do this," he said then. "It's disgusting."

"No, it isn't. I'm used to it." I leaned back to return the cup to the bed table and picked up a second. "Don't you remember Volterra? My blood almost killed you. You were so sick; worse than this. After Carlisle drained it out of you, you weren't even conscious and the feeding tube was a necessity. When you woke I held you up and gave you several of these...come on, drink." I tapped the end of the straw against his lips again and this time he took it without hesitating more than a second or two. "Back then it was mostly only the Imprint working on me, but I started to care for you a little. None of this has ever bothered me, Edward, after I accepted I was meant to be with you. You were a vampire when I first fell in love with you and I grew to love the feel of you, the thrill of our difference in temperatures, your strength, your beauty. You became my husband not once, but twice and that's for keeps; till death us do part and all that."

Edward moaned and raised his hand, pulling the straw from his mouth. "Death will part us. You'll age...leave me; assuming I don't accidentally kill you by attacking you, or...crushing you somehow."

"You wouldn't hurt me," I said firmly for the second time. "We can work this out; learn how to be together again. You just have to want to."

"I want to. Of course I want to. I just don't see how we can be. I'm afraid I'll hurt you. I'm afraid of accepting that I'm...this again...a vampire...and losing control one day. If it wasn't you it could be somebody else. One of your sisters." He emitted a choking sob, his whole body shuddering.

"You have a whole family to help you," I said. "Not just me, but all of the Cullens. They've all been here and gotten through it. You did too once and you will again. Isn't it worth it?"

He didn't answer, but began to cry quietly with soft, achingly painful sobs, shedding not a single tear, his hand eventually coming to rest on my chest and curling into a fist around a handful of my shirt. I returned the half empty cup to the bed table and eyed the gold ring sitting there on top of the letter. I picked it up and slid it onto my pinky, then covered his hand with mine and pried the fist open so that his hand lay flat over my heart. Slowly I returned the ring to its rightful place on his finger and he didn't protest, but his cries increased and I felt tears tracking down my cheeks as I hugged him against me.

"It's alright," I whispered. "We'll be alright. We're together; that's the only thing that's important."

"I just...can't see...how you can want me...like this...after the way we were...the last four years," Edward wept.

"Baby, I love you in all forms, no more or less in either," I said. "I'll always love you, until my heart stops and then my soul will go on loving you."

I was dimly aware of the sound of a muffled sob from outside the room and Emmett saying, "Shush, babe," presumably to Zara. I blinked away my tears and stroked my hand through Edward's hair, noticing it felt like silk and its colour was richer, warmer than ever.

"We'll work it out," I said. "One step at a time. Step one is getting you well; getting rid of that burning." I reached out for the second cup again and held it in front of him.

"Are you sure about this?" he whispered.

"Totally. I'm going nowhere and nor are you. I know it'll be tough, but we'll get there."

He gave a slight nod and finished the contents of the cup. When I picked up the third one and brought it to him, his hand left my chest and took hold of it, although he remained resting against me, his head on my shoulder. I wasn't under any illusion he was suddenly going to be fine - I could still feel fear and anxiety coming off of him in waves - but at least he was willing to give it a try. I could hear him gulping the blood greedily now and when I passed him the fourth cup, he removed the lid and drank normally. He was gradually regaining some strength and he sat up, edging away from me a little, glancing up at me through lowered lashes. I noticed that his eyes had changed colour, from red to black and I realised it was going to take a lot more than four cups before he felt anywhere near normal.

"I'll get some more," Zara said from the doorway and came in to take the empty cups. Carlisle appeared too.

"Jacob, I think you should come away for a while."

"I'm staying," I stated firmly. "We're fine."

"Jacob...maybe you should do as he says," Edward told me. "I can smell you; your blood, I mean. I don't feel safe near you now I'm less weak."

"I don't want to leave you."

"I won't go anywhere. I'll see you again later, when I know I'll be ok around you."

"Alright. I'll go outside for a while." I wanted to move closer, to kiss him, but I knew it was just going to make things harder for him and I slid off of the bed reluctantly and grabbed my crutch. "I love you."

He didn't return the sentiment and I hobbled outside and took the second crutch from Jasper. He helped me down the stairs as Zara appeared again with a tray bearing six full cups and went into the bedroom with Emmett. By the time I had reached the front door, she had come to join me again and Jasper left us.

"You want to sit outside?" she suggested.

"Yeah."

She opened the door and we made our way out onto the porch. I sat down carefully on the top step and Zara walked down to the driveway and paced back and forth.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"He's not blocking his thoughts any more; or at least he wasn't until you came out of the room. He's very conflicted."

"I expected that," I nodded.

"He still doesn't want to live like this. He feels guilty for upsetting you, for not being able to be with you the way you were before the accident. A big part of him still thinks you'll be better off without him and he's convinced you're going to realise that soon enough and wish you'd walked away."

"Shit." I dragged a hand through my short hair. "I didn't think for a minute that he would miraculously come around just in the time I was up there, but I thought...I don't know, I thought he was willing to give it a chance."

"He hates himself," Zara said. "When he was feeding, he had that same sense of incredible relief and satisfaction we all get from blood, kind of like a high, but at the same time he felt sick - disgusted by what he was doing. It doesn't feel natural to him."

"It's happened before."

I looked up suddenly, startled as Tanya appeared beside me and I wondered that Zara hadn't sensed her approaching.

"I did. She can tell you more than I can." Zara gave me a small smile and stopped pacing as Tanya lowered herself onto the step next to me. Although we had come to a kind of understanding over the past few years and got along ok, I still felt wary of Tanya, but she seemed to harbour no such feelings towards me.

"This is actually the third time Edward's been like this," she began. "I was around way back before he was turned in 1918 and that first time it was a constant battle for Carlisle to keep him alive for about a year. He was grieving for his parents and didn't want to go on without them, as well as having to try to deal with being a vampire and learn to control himself. He got better, but it wasn't really until Esme came along a couple years later that he began to live properly and realise that he could enjoy things again.

"I'm not sure if you know that he went...um..."

"Rogue, yes," I said. "He told me when we first started seeing each other properly."

"Good, I didn't want to shock you. He was rebelling, but when he went back to Carlisle and Esme, the guilt almost finished him off. They went through it all over again, trying to convince him that he was worth something and that he could move on from what happened. Zara and Charlotte weren't around then and mostly I only heard what was going on through Eleazar, but the others have been here before twice over. The difference is that this time Edward has you. He'll make it, I know it, but it's not going to be easy. You'll probably find yourself going over the same thing repeatedly until he accepts that there's a future for him."

"I don't care how many times I have to tell him, or show him what he means to me," I averred. "He's more important to me than anything else. I'm going nowhere, whatever he says or does."

"Jake..." Jasper had opened the door behind us and when I looked over my shoulder I noticed he had a phone in his hand. "Sorry to interrupt; your mother's on the phone."

"Thanks." I took the phone from him and covered the mouthpiece for a second. "Thanks, girls."

Zara and Tanya both nodded and accompanied Jasper back into the house, leaving me to talk to Mom. I apologised for taking off without even leaving a note and explained that Edward would be ok, but that he needed me. I would call her daily to update her and I promised we would talk properly about what Edward was and where we would go from here as soon as I was able to leave him. I expected her to be more pushy, to demand that she and Dad come over and see me, or to bombard me with questions, but she said only that she understood and that they were both there for me whenever I needed them.

When I ended the call I had tears in my eyes again and I folded my arms around my knees and dropped my head onto them, letting myself cry. I was anxious and scared, hopeful and determined and on top of it all, mentally exhausted. We had a long road ahead of us, but we would make it, together, one way or another.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

It was several hours before I saw Edward again. I went back into the house and Charlotte made me something to eat while Zara reported what was going on upstairs by relaying Emmett and Jasper's thoughts to me. Edward had shut her out again, but he had at least continued feeding and used up virtually all of Carlisle's supplies. Some of the vampires would need to hunt later to restock and hoped to encourage Edward to go with them. So long as he was completely sated, he wouldn't be too much of a danger to me.

I was finally allowed back upstairs when Jasper and the women went hunting, Carlisle and Emmett staying behind and hovering anxiously outside our room. Edward had refused to go with the others, saying that he wasn't ready.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, silently cursing my broken leg as I lowered myself awkwardly onto the bed again.

"I'm ok."

Edward was sitting cross-legged and he glanced at me warily, his body almost seeming to cringe away from me. Even though I told myself he couldn't help it, that he was worried I wouldn't want him, scared he might hurt me, it still upset me. I so desperately wanted things to be the way they were before.

"They can never be the way they were," Edward said sadly.

"I meant, when we first met." I placed my hand flat on the mattress, a few inches from his. "I know you still think it can't work between us, but it's early days. We just need to start back at the beginning, at least with some things. I know you still love me..."

"Of course I do, more than you could possibly know."

His voice was husky and he cleared his throat and turned to look at me properly. His eyes were a rich, pale gold now, his lips red, his skin no longer translucent, but white and almost like marble in appearance. He was beautiful and for a moment anything I meant to say went out of my head; I just stared until he looked away.

"How can you think that? I'm a monster."

"That's not true. I know you've felt like this before, but it'll change. It doesn't matter how long it takes; I'm here and I'm going nowhere. My life is with you, just like it always has been."

"I'm afraid."

"I know. I was talking to Tanya earlier."

He raised an eyebrow and angled his head slightly back towards me.

"She told me about before, when Carlisle first turned you and then after you...lost your way. I know how hard it was for you, even with Carlisle and Esme there, but it'll be different this time. You have me now."

"I'm more afraid that I can't be what you want. I know I can learn to control my thirst, but I could so easily hurt you. I could crush you in my arms; break your hand if I held it..." He shuddered and closed his eyes. "We'll never be able to make love again."

"Not yet, maybe. Let me try something."

"What?"

"Just stay still."

My heart began to bang against my ribs as I moved my hand slightly on the comforter, stretching my pinky out towards his.

"Do you remember Houston? I mean, when we were in that motel room? We sat on the bed, talking about Jasper and Alexa, about our own situation. I wanted so badly to touch you. I did this..." I let my finger meet his, feeling the chill of him instantly.

"You didn't move. My heart was racing so fast I couldn't distinguish one beat from the next."

"I could hear it," Edward whispered. "I can hear it now."

"I was terrified," I continued. "I was still confused about how I felt; I didn't know how to be with you - wolf and vampire, two boys. I thought you'd pull your hand away and when you didn't..."

I slid my palm over the back of his hand, covering his slender, white fingers with my thicker, caramel coloured digits. I heard the hiss of Edward sucking in a breath, even though he didn't need to fill his lungs with air and I glanced up at his face. His eyes were fixed, unblinking, on our hands, lips parted slightly and I looked down again as I felt his hand move beneath mine. I was worried he would slide it free and move away from me, do the opposite of what he had done in Houston, but slowly his hand turned over until the cool palm met the heat of mine. I found I was holding my breath and I slowly, carefully spread my fingers apart and slid them in between his, curling the tips under the back of his hand, feeling goosebumps break out on my arm at the icy feel of him. Tears pricked my eyes and I gulped audibly while I fiercely suppressed the urge to throw myself into his arms and cling to him, knowing it would probably send him flying across the room in shock, just as he had done in Houston the first time I tried to kiss him. I looked up again and to my intense surprise, a faint smile touched his lips.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"One step at a time, ok?"

He nodded and after a moment his hand moved in mine, slowly turning them until his lay on the top, his fingers lightly gripping my hand as mine did his.

"You're so warm," he marvelled.

"Not as warm as I used to be."

"Warm enough. I don't feel cold to myself. Is that strange? I only feel cold now you're touching me."

"It's not strange. Remember before anything really happened between us except maybe a few kisses? We would just hold each other for hours. You said you loved my warmth and the feel of you would give me goosebumps all over; make my heart race."

"Do you really think this can work?" he asked hopefully.

"I know it can. You just have to trust me...and yourself."

At last I relaxed, leaning back against the wall beside him. Only our hands touched, the fingers still entwined, but hours passed and we talked and remembered, going back to the very first time we had ever seen each other, before I had even phased. I had been desperately hanging onto the hopes that Bella Swan would return my feelings. It had been a schoolboy crush, but I was convinced it was love - the real thing - until I learned she had a boyfriend. The first time I saw Edward I'd felt an instant shock and revulsion without knowing why. I'd put it down to the fact that he got to hold her hand and kiss and cuddle her while I could only dream of it, but it had been my as yet unborn wolf raging inside me at the sight of the vampire in front of me.

We had developed an instinctive hatred for each other, especially after I did phase and we caught each other's scent, but that had been short-lived. After I Imprinted on him, strangely his scent was no longer unappealing and gradually we had been pulled together over time until it wasn't what we were that we feared, but the fact that we were both boys. Our first proper kiss had stunned us both; cold and heat, electricity, the love I already felt for him, which he was tentatively starting to return.

Again my heart was pumping frantically, my hand gripping his tighter and I automatically leaned in closer, bringing my bare arm against his and feeling his coolness through the fabric of his long sleeve. I slowly lifted my free hand and touched his face, tracing the shape of his jaw and cheekbone with my fingertips. His skin felt almost hard, but at the same time as smooth as silk. He turned to look at me, a dozen swirling shades of gold in his eyes, mesmerizing me. We had been together almost four years, married for more than two, and I felt as if I'd never kissed him before. I hovered there, my face six inches from his, trying not to gasp and pant. I traced my thumb over his lower lip, surprised by how soft it was in comparison to the rest of his face. His nostrils fluttered and a soft whimper left him as his hand tightened on mine almost painfully. Then he extricated himself in a fraction of a second and blurred away from me to sit on the end of the bed, his back turned to me.

"Sorry. I can't. It's too soon." He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. "I'm sorry, Jacob."

"It's ok, I shouldn't have tried."

"I keep trying to remind myself about your blood being poison to us, but...you smell so..._good._" He groaned and raised a hand to drag his fingers through his hair. "That sounds hideous."

"It doesn't, Edward, this is bound to happen at first. Don't worry, please," I begged.

"It was never like this before. My family and your pack hated the smell of each other until...until you Imprinted and then with you it went away, but your blood didn't tempt me. How can we even be sure it really is the same now? The wolf gene is dormant, isn't it? So maybe your blood is just...normal."

"Would it help if you knew for sure?"

"Maybe. I think so. I don't know."

"I could test it, if you want me to," Carlisle suggested from the door.

I turned my head quickly to look at him, feeling my face redden. He and Emmett had been standing there so long in complete silence that I had forgotten about them and it was embarrassing to think that they had heard everything we said to each other; so many private thoughts and shared moments.

"They tuned most of it out," Edward said. "It's similar to the way I shut people's thoughts out if I don't want to hear them."

I relaxed marginally. "How would you do the test?" I asked.

"The only way is to taste," Carlisle said a touch wrily.

"Can you do it now?"

"Alright. Let's go down to my surgery."

"No!" Edward turned around quickly. "I need to see. Please, it'll help."

"No, Edward, it's too dangerous for Jacob; it's too soon," the doctor protested.

"I'll be fine. I promise I will," he said firmly, his eyes meeting mine again. "Emmett can help me."

Carlisle sighed heavily. "This isn't a good idea."

"You can trust me. Please, just do it." Edward stood up rapidly and backed into the corner of the room. Emmett walked in and went to him.

"Sorry, Edward." He grimaced awkwardly as he placed his hands on Edward's upper arms, gripping tight enough to make his muscles pop as he pinned the younger vampire to the wall.

Edward just shook his head dismissively and then stood motionless, waiting for the few brief seconds it took for Carlisle to disappear to his surgery and return with a sterilised needle and a small dressing. I watched curiously as he took one of my hands, hesitating and glancing warily at Edward.

"Go on, Carlisle, we're ok," Emmett said.

My eyes flitted from Carlisle to Edward and back again as I felt the sharp scratch on the end of my index finger. Both Edward's and Emmett's nostrils flared, but both remained where they were as Carlisle touched the end of the needle to his tongue. I couldn't help a small shudder, but this was quickly overtaken by relief as several things happened all at once. The doctor covered the small wound instantly with the dressing, grabbed one of the empty foam cups from the bed table and spat into it, his face contorted with revulsion.

"Please, excuse me." He cleared his throat, wiped his mouth and then the needle on a tissue before picking up the cups to take them away. "You still carry the bloodline, Jacob. It's faint, but most definitely there. A few mouthfuls would certainly make any of us very sick."

I nodded and looked back at Edward, who despite appearing as if he wanted to break free of Emmett's hold and rush at me, was almost smiling.

"You alright?" Emmett asked him.

"Yes, you can let go. I think I need to get some fresh air though."

Emmett released him and immediately he was gone, flying from the room before a second later the front door of the house banged shut behind him. Carlisle followed quickly and I heard the door open and close again as he left.

"He's doing better than he did before," the remaining vampire told me. "I wasn't around back then, of course, but I've heard. You're making a difference to him."

"Tanya said it'll be as bad as the other times and Zara told me he's still thinking there's no hope for us."

"That's probably true some of the time, but certainly not all. I'm no mind reader and I can't pick up emotions like Jasper, but I can look at him and compare it to what I've seen in others and from how well I knew him before. He'll want to make it work for you; he'll doubt himself plenty of times, that goes without saying, and he's going to be scared he'll injure you somehow, but he won't give up, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so. It's kind of a shame I can't phase again."

"Hell, don't even think about it." Emmett wrinkled his nose. "We'd all have to suffer the wet dog smell again."

"If I don't, I'm going to age," I pointed out. "Edward worries about that too; that I'll grow old and die, leave him behind. I almost wish I'd been injured worse than I was so Carlisle would have had to...change me as well."

The thought had never crossed my mind up to now, but suddenly it did and I wondered if that could ever be an option. I hadn't even had the opportunity yet to consider our long-term future, the past week having been filled with pain and drugs and worry and then every minute being focused on Edward, but now I wondered - could I be a vampire too?

"Don't be stupid, Jake," Emmett said, suddenly angry. "Carlisle would never change a healthy person; none of us would. But you seem to have forgotten he just tested your blood. Not only would you make whoever tried to change you sick, but it wouldn't work. Wolves are immune to vampire venom. You must know that if you can remember everything."

"But I'm not a wolf!" I protested. "If only I was, I wouldn't be considering becoming one of you."

"To all intents and purposes, you're a wolf," the vampire told me. "You have the blood of one and I'd been willing to bet that if you came face to face with a non-vegetarian vampire, it would soon make itself known."

I didn't say anything more, but I held onto what Emmett had said. I reminded myself not to think about it when I was anywhere near Zara or Edward, but the idea gave me a small spark of hope. Maybe some day, there was a chance I could return to exactly what I had been before; go full circle just as Edward had. Could that be what was intended when fate brought us back together after almost a century? Were we meant to have our eternity after all? The idea thrilled me and I suppressed it determinedly for the moment.

"Emmett, do you think there's any chance we could have a door back on our room?" I asked then.

He grinned. "I should think so. If Carlisle says it's ok I'll go into Forks tomorrow and get one. We'll have to hang it ourselves; he won't have workmen in the house while Edward's unstable."

He left me alone shortly after and I took the opportunity to get some rest. I hadn't been able to sleep properly during the week before Emmett and Zara had fetched me and I was completely exhausted now. Edward and Carlisle hadn't returned and although I still worried for Edward, when I stretched out on the bed I found it impossible to keep my eyes open for more than a few minutes.

I slept deeply and dreamlessly and when I woke, the room was dark, the uncovered window indicating night had fallen. I glanced around the room, spotting Edward sitting silently in the far corner watching me and Jasper leaning against the door jamb. Jasper slipped away out of sight as I sat up and stretched and I licked my dry lips, rubbing a hand over my face and reminding myself that I had to ignore the constant presence of one or more of the others. They wouldn't be leaving Edward and me alone for a while and I was just going to have to pretend they weren't there and talk to him the same way I would if we had privacy.

"Edward...how long have you been there?"

"A few hours." He smiled slightly.

"You always used to like watching me sleep."

"You look so peaceful. I was...I _am_ envious that you can just drift away and escape everything. It's only been a week and I can barely remember what it was like to fall asleep."

I shuffled to the edge of the bed and slid my legs off of the side, realising I needed to empty my bladder and cursing my stupid broken leg once again. I felt my face warming as I made my way slowly around the bed to the bathroom door, remembering a similar situation in Volterra where I had had to take a piss in the cell just feet away from Edward, mortified only because he never had to worry about bodily functions. I was surprised to hear a small, slightly muffled chuckle as I pushed the door almost closed. I unzipped my pants and took care of business quickly, then washed my face and cleaned my teeth before I returned to the bedroom, discovering that Edward still hadn't moved.

"Will you come sit with me?"

He nodded silently and sat down a foot away from me on the bed. He moved too fast for me to be able to see him rise from the chair and cross the room and it reminded me that he had always been the fastest of the Cullens. I held my hand out towards him and after a brief hesitation he slid his into it, lacing our fingers slowly and carefully as if he was afraid I would break.

"I am," he said. "I don't know my own strength yet. When I was in the forest with Carlisle, I...I guess I got upset and punched a tree. It snapped the trunk as if it were made of cheap plastic; hundreds of years of growth broken down in a second. I'm afraid even to hold your hand in case I move too fast or squeeze too hard."

"Edward, we've only been together like this a few hours," I reminded him. "It's going to take time, I know that. It'll get easier for you."

"That's what Carlisle said. It's what they all keep saying." His thumb stroked lightly along the length of mine where they touched and I shivered. "There's so much I can't do right now; that I might never be able to do again. Remember when we were in college? We'd get back to the apartment, slam the door closed, grab at each other as if it had been weeks rather than hours, practically tearing each other's clothes off on the way to our room. It was so natural; so exciting; so urgent. I can't do anything like that now - I could pull off your arm along with your shirt, push you through the wall, hug you and break your ribs..." He pulled his hand free and tugged his fingers through his hair, then dropped his face into his hands and rested his elbows on his drawn up knees. "I'd never forgive myself."

My heart ached for him; his mind constantly going around and around, alternately hoping and fearing, believing and denying. I moved closer to him and slid my arm around him, carefully drawing him against my side almost as if _I_ feared_ he _would break. He didn't resist or try to pull away from me; he leaned his weight on me, his head slowly falling onto my shoulder, his body turning slightly towards mine and a hand coming to rest on my chest. I covered it with my free one, feeling the iciness of his hand and the faint chill of the rest of him through our clothes.

"Baby, we'll find a way to do all of those things again," I said softly, aware that I was probably going to repeat myself a lot for a while until he accepted it and felt better about it. "It's been no time at all yet. It worked between us before and I know I was a lot stronger then than I am now, but you still could have crushed my hand in yours, broken bones if you held me too tight, pushed me through a wall. We're not going to be able to work everything out in one day, but we'll get there."

"One step at a time," Edward murmured.

To my surprise his lips touched my neck just beneath my ear and my pulse quickened. I stayed completely still, one hand covering his and the other on the back of his neck, the fingertips touching his hair where I had been about to stroke my hand through it. I heard his sharp intake of breath and then a small cold draft as he blew it out again, the chill working its way into the neck of my shirt and again making goosebumps rise on my skin. I could hear my heart thumping unevenly and I knew it must have sounded thunderous to Edward, his lips only a fraction of an inch from the pulse in my neck. He straightened up again, drawing himself away from me and dislodging my hands, although he took one of them in both of his again.

"Were you afraid?"

"No," I told him. "You wouldn't have done that if you thought you'd hurt me."

"I'm not thirsty. I wanted to see if I could do it without it affecting me."

"And?"

"'I'm ok. Carlisle's little experiment earlier helped too."

I heard a muttered expletive from outside the door and guessed Jasper had been worried by us getting so close.

"I wish you'd hunt, Edward," he said. "It makes a difference. Everybody would feel a lot better then."

"I'm not ready." The moment was gone and he released my hand again and put more of a gap between us, turning to look out of the door. "Will you give me some space, damnit? I'm ok. If I thought I wasn't, I wouldn't be anywhere near Jacob."

"Jasper, we're alright, really," I said firmly.

"I know how it feels, remember?" he answered, stepping into view. "I've been there twice too. Edward, you might think you're ok, but that can change, in an instant. You're so strong; my ability has no effect on you yet."

"I don't want it to," Edward snapped. "How will I know I'm safe to be near Jacob if I'm only in control when you're messing with my head? I'm not going to take any risks. If I hurt my own husband, there'd be no reason for me to go on either."

"Alright, I'm sorry." Jasper backed away again with a sigh. "I'm just...trying to help like everybody else."

"Thanks, but really, I can do this." Edward was on his feet in an instant. "_We_ can do this."

He vanished downstairs and Jasper left me alone too. I found I was smiling and I lay down again, staring up at the ceiling in the darkness. It was still going to be a long road for Edward, but he was determined we would be alright. He was still filled with doubts and fears, but he was strong and I could see that he was slowly beginning to accept things. This was really only the first day and even if I couldn't do anything about my own form, we still had a lifetime ahead of us.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N - Thank you to everyone who is reading and as always, the reviews are very much appreciated.**

**I'm delighted to discover that the second part of this trilogy "Reunited" has been nominated for the Top Ten Twilight Fictions completed in April so if you can spare a moment to vote for me, a thousand thanks in advance. Voting finishes at the end of May.**

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CHAPTER SIX

I didn't realise I had fallen asleep again until I woke to bright daylight. I had dreamed that I was lying on the bed watching Edward, while he sat in the corner watching me, neither of us speaking, but merely sharing the silence. Now I opened my eyes to find that I was alone and the house was silent.

I got up slowly and went to the bathroom, hunting around for something I could use as a stool so I could take a bath, but there was nothing in the bedroom that I could submerge in water. Instead I lowered myself carefully into the tub, propped my foot up on the rim next to the taps and let the water rise slowly around me. I lay there soaking for some time, wondering where everybody was and hoping that Edward might have gotten over his reluctance to hunt.

I hadn't bothered to check the time when I got up, but I guessed I probably lay in the bath for thirty minutes or more before I started washing my hair and sponging myself. I was just finishing up when I heard a heavy thud that would have had me leaping to my feet if I hadn't been hampered by a plaster cast.

"What the hell?" I muttered.

"Sorry, Jake!" Emmett's voice boomed. "I brought you a door. What are you doing in there?"

"Taking a bath, is that ok?"

He guffawed loudly. "I'm just going to hang this for you, alright?"

"Thanks. Where's Edward?" I struggled upright, carefully stepping onto the mat beside the bath and began to dry myself.

"He's...uh...he went out with some of the others."

"Hunting?" I secured the towel around my waist and hopped, leaning on the wall, back into the bedroom, realising I hadn't taken clean clothes into the bathroom with me.

"No." Emmett glanced at me and then turned his attention to the new heavy wood door onto which he was screwing a hinge. "Your Dad called. Edward's upset."

"Why? What happened?" I demanded anxiously. Had Edward talked to my Dad? If that was the case I couldn't imagine for one minute Dad would have said anything unkind to him, whatever Mom might have told him.

"Esme took the call. They had a pretty long discussion. Jasper already said your Mom knew about us and she obviously told your Dad."

"I had to say something to explain why I couldn't be here and why Edward could recover from a broken back and paralysis. My parents already knew about our past lives and about me being a wolf previously."

"And they believed all of that shit?"

"Yes. Carlisle and Esme aren't pissed at me for telling them, are they?"

"No, they understand, given the circumstances. Esme made it pretty clear in the call that they can't say anything to anybody. Your Dad said something like, 'Who am I gonna tell? They'd think I'm nuts'."

I chuckled. "That sounds like Dad."

"They want to see you; Esme told him you'd call later."

"So is Edward upset about them knowing what he is?" I asked.

"Not really, he gets that you had to. It's because your Dad was calling to remind you that you're both supposed to be starting work this week. He wanted to know if he should call your school to tell them about your leg. It made Edward realise he's not going to be able to teach at the college - at least not for a year."

"Shit," I groaned. I had completely forgotten about the jobs that awaited us and now I realised that not only would Edward not be able to begin his career, but it would also be some considerable time before my leg healed, which meant I wouldn't be able to take up my position either.

"Where is he?" I got up again and began looking for some clothes. Most of my things had been at my parents' house before we went camping and I had packed nothing when Emmett and Zara fetched me. I expected I would have to borrow something from one of the vampires, but when I opened a drawer I found a pile of brand new pairs of socks and shorts. The next drawer held an assortment of t-shirts and short-sleeved shirts in my size and I knew without looking that I would find pants and other items in the wardrobe.

"Esme went into Forks and bought those early this morning," Emmett said, eyeing the red shirt I had picked up. "Edward's in the forest. Carlisle's at the hospital, but Jasper and the women have gone after him."

"God, I hope he's ok. Damn this fucking leg!" I cursed, pulling the shirt on. I couldn't even run outside and begin looking for him myself; I couldn't go to him when he needed me and could only wait for him to come to me.

"He'll be fine when he calms down. You need to calm down," Emmett said smoothly.

"I'm just frustrated by how hampered I am," I grumbled. "And I feel selfish for complaining about something so minor when Edward's going through so much." I turned away from him to finish dressing, finding cargo shorts in the wardrobe which were the easiest item to get over my plaster. By the time I was done, Emmett had the door on its hinges and was tightening the last few screws.

"Who needs workmen?" he said with a smirk. "It takes two of them to do something like this, plus they take ten times as long and stop every fifteen minutes for a coffee break."

Despite my anxiety, I couldn't help smiling. I decided to go down to the kitchen to find something to eat and take the time to call my Dad, until I noticed from the calendar beside the refrigerator that it was Monday and both he and Mom would have now gone to work. Instead I made coffee and toast and sat down to wait for the other vampires to return, praying that Edward would be ok.

In the meantime I called my school and spoke to the head of the sports department. The school didn't open until the following week, but all of the staff were there preparing, as I should have been and the first thing I did was apologise for failing to show up. I explained about the accident and that I had been muddled with pain medication since and then reluctantly advised that I would have to withdraw from the position.

Carlisle had previously told me it would be unlikely that I could walk without crutches for at least four or five months, possibly longer, given the severity of the break and had told me horrifying details about the screws he had put into the bone to encourage it to mend correctly. He would need to operate again to remove these and then I would need another period for the flesh to heal.

The school was disappointed, but I was relieved that they didn't feel I had let them down. A temporary coach would be hired to cover the position while they revisited the other applications they had turned down in favour of me. When I hung up the phone, I felt deflated. It may be half a year before I could consider making an attempt to get my career started, assuming that by then I would be capable of running. However, I knew that many schools and colleges wouldn't be looking for new staff in the middle of a year so it was possible I would have to wait for the following summer before I could reapply.

I reminded myself that I should think myself lucky that I had only broken my leg. It could have been much worse; I could have had to give up all thoughts of a career for the moment the way Edward had to and for the first time I was grateful for the fact that he had such a huge bank balance. At least we wouldn't be forced to live off of the Cullens or my family while neither of us were capable of earning anything.

It was noon before the vampires returned. I had moved into one of the living rooms and had my leg propped up on a stool when suddenly Edward appeared in front of me. His golden eyes glowed, but his expression was anguished.

"I'm sorry I disappeared," he sighed.

"It's alright; come sit with me."

I patted the cushion next to me and in a second he was sitting there, close enough for his thigh to rest against mine. After a brief pause he leaned in closer and laid his head on my shoulder. I slid my arm around him and grasped one of his hands in my free one.

"I won't be able to work," he said miserably. "I hadn't even thought about it before, with trying to get used to...this."

"You won't be able to work _yet_," I corrected. "Just like me. I won't be on my feet properly for six months and after that, I'll probably only be able to coach if I can run. I called the school a little while ago and told them I won't be taking up my position."

"I'm so sorry," Edward groaned. "All I've been thinking about is the things _I_ can't do. I'm being selfish."

"No, you're not. But listen...you _will _be able to teach, one day. Look at Carlisle - he's a surgeon. He's in contact with people constantly and a long time ago you were too. You and the others all went to Forks high school, didn't you? And many other schools before that. When you're no longer a newborn, you can reapply; we'll probably be able to do that around the same time."

"I guess. I need to let the college know. Would you mind calling them?" he asked.

"Of course I don't mind; who should I say I am?"

"My husband." Edward raised his head and smirked suddenly. "I put you down as my closest relative on the application form."

My heart fluttered and instinctively I turned my head towards him and brushed my lips against his cheek. Even as I did it I expected him to jerk away, but he closed his eyes and stayed completely still. I risked another small kiss, to his jaw this time, and he let out a soft sigh.

"I thought you'd be more upset than this," I murmured.

"I was, but I already panicked the others by running off. I'm telling myself that it's not just me who's suffering here. I'm scared about so many aspects of this, but I know you are too. You know what makes me more sad than not being able to teach? Carlisle told me the letter came through from my lawyer. The house is ready for us and we won't...we won't be able to live in it."

"One day we will," I said firmly. "It's ours and it'll just wait until we're ready for it. We'll be able to enjoy it for a few years, just like we planned, until we move on to...wherever."

Edward pulled away from me with a groan. "I've been trying not to think about that. Since we talked yesterday, you made me feel like this could really work...that we could be together and it would be ok." He dropped his head into his hands unhappily. "How can I take you away from your family? It would be decades before we could come back to this area again. You'd have to say goodbye to them and I can't ask that of you."

This was one thing that I hadn't spent too much time thinking about yet. I knew inside that we probably only had five or so years before the other Cullens would have to move away. Edward might have been able to get away with it for one or two more, but eventually we would have to leave Forks and go somewhere nobody knew us.

"Don't tell me it'll be alright," Edward went on. "I can hear your thoughts. You've been putting off thinking about it."

"I wasn't going to say it'll be alright, but I do know we can make it work," I said determinedly. "I don't want to leave my family behind, of course I don't, but you're my husband. You come first over everybody else and wherever you are, that's where I'll be. My family can visit any time they want, wherever we are. By the time we have to leave, my sisters will be older; they'll all understand. They won't like it, but they'll accept that I have to be with you."

"You have an answer for everything."

"Of course and if I don't, we'll figure one out. I love you; nothing's going to change that and nothing is going to come between us." I caught his hand again, squeezing the firm, cold flesh. "Those are things we can deal with later though. The main priority is for you to be comfortable in your own skin again and for us to learn how to be together."

"Do you know that the others think I'll be like this for months?" Edward asked. "The first time Carlisle turned me after my parents died of influenza, I wished I'd gone with them. I couldn't understand my mother asking him to do this to me and I drove him crazy for a year. I was hell bent on self-destruction and almost starved to death three times. It got better eventually, but I was never comfortable with who I was; at least not for a few years.

"It was virtually the same in the 1930s when I left Carlisle and Esme and went rogue. Each time I...each time I killed, I told myself I was doing the world a favour; saving lives by getting rid of a murderer or a rapist, but it just made me as bad as they were. When I came to my senses I was almost too ashamed to go back and then it was the same all over again. I was like a newborn, trying to be satisfied with animal blood and almost consumed by guilt over what I'd done. I starved myself, thinking everybody else would be better off.

"I don't want to be like that again, Jacob. Even now, I hear your words, but I listen to your thoughts too because I know they can't fool me and they tell me the same thing - that you don't have any doubts about us; that you trust me. I don't want to put you through all of my shit for a year or a month or even a week. I just want to fix myself. You have your own problems to deal with and on top of it all you have a depressed, awkward, frightened vampire to worry about. I want to prove everybody wrong and I want to be what you want."

For a moment I was speechless. He seemed so determined. Such a short time ago he had been convinced our life together was over, had even taken off his wedding ring and since then constant doubts had been in his mind. He was afraid of hurting me, of growing away from me, of taking me away from my family and he hated that he had become what he dreaded when we met four years before, but he was doing his best to fight those feelings off and make things better. However, the brief periods of time where he had felt more positive had so far quickly been drowned by fears and doubts and I couldn't help wondering if the same would happen now. He was determined now, but in a few hours would he be back to thinking there was no hope for us?

"Now you do doubt me." He gave me a small, crooked and rather rueful smile. "I don't blame you, I know it's not going to happen over night. I know I'm essentially going to be a newborn until next year and I won't be safe around humans, other than you, which I know I can deal with because I want to so badly. But I won't let myself be a constant worry to you and my family. I just need to...um...concentrate on adjusting my attitude."

"Edward, you know what will help a lot? What the others have been trying to tell you?" I didn't get the chance to put into words what I was thinking; I was seeing him flying through the forest in pursuit of a mountain lion and he saw the thought immediately.

"Hunt." He grimaced slightly.

"Why are you so reluctant to do it?"

"Because...it sounds ridiculous, but it's like taking the final step into accepting what I am and I haven't wanted to do that. While I'm drinking from cups I can still try to convince myself that I'm not really a vampire."

"It's not ridiculous," I said at once. "I understand. But will you try?"

"Yes. As soon as I begin to get thirsty again; maybe even before. Jasper told me if I don't let myself get to that stage, I'll find it easier to be near you."

"How is it now?"

"It's ok. I made my way through half the surgery supplies again."

I raised my free hand to touch his face, tentatively stroking my fingertips over his cheekbone.

"I want so much to touch you; I just don't know if I'm making things harder for you," I said.

"I'm ok if I don't breathe. I don't need to anyway, I just keep doing it out of habit."

"Can I kiss you?"

My heart picked up speed and I waited for him to blur away from me; to put what he thought was a safe distance between us. It was only yesterday when I had leaned into him, making him fly away from me, but it was also yesterday when he snuggled close and kissed my neck. I was unsure and reluctant to make moves without making certain it wouldn't worry him.

"Yes."

I held my breath as I brought my lips to his. It was the slightest touch, barely a brush before I drew back an inch or two and raised my eyes. His were closed and he was like a statue, unmoving and not breathing. I tried again, allowing my lips to caress his a little, their coolness shocking me even thought he felt the way I expected. I breathed in and caught the scent of him as my lips tasted his; sweetness that drew me in and made me long for more.

I didn't really expect much of a response, but slowly his lips parted and moved against mine, a soft moan issuing from him, the sound immediately beginning to arouse me. He raised his hand to my neck, the icy palm resting on my warm skin inside my collar, making me shiver and whimper into his mouth. My heart was banging urgently against my ribs, blood rushing in my ears and at the same time making its way south, causing my cock to stiffen in my pants. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, crush him against me and thrust my tongue into his mouth, but I forced myself to keep my movements slow and gentle, convinced that too much would spoil the moment. Our lips continued to cling, sliding over each other eagerly for what seemed to me like an age, but was probably only a few more seconds before Edward drew back and breathed out rapidly, his cool breath fanning my cheek before the gap between us increased. His hand was still on my neck, his thumb stroking over the rapid pulse there and my spine tingled, causing my upper body to shake slightly.

I glanced down, noticing the prominent bulge in my pants as my cock strained against the fabric and I resisted the urge to adjust myself with difficulty. I couldn't help taking a quick look at Edward's lap, but it was clear the kiss hadn't affected him in the same way it had me and I was instantly disappointed.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I don't know why. I guess this is all too new; I'm not ready. I haven't gotten hard since I was changed."

"It's alright, you've probably had too many worries up to now for anything to happen. I love that I can kiss you again. I missed this and you feel...you taste...incredible."

Edward smiled and lowered his eyes and I would have been willing to bet if he were human, he would have been blushing.

"That's one thing I'm glad to be a vampire for," he said. "I'd blush at the drop of a hat before."

He stayed with me for the rest of the day. After a while I called his college and explained that we had been involved in a serious hiking accident. He had broken his back and it was unlikely he would recover sufficiently to be able to teach, at least for possibly twelve months. They were horrified by the news and as disappointed as my school had been that Edward wouldn't be working with them. Esme came in and made the suggestion that if Edward was unable to get a position in a school or college nearby when he was ready to, there was always the possibility that he could be a private tutor, either working from the Cullens' house or our own in Port Angeles. The idea seemed to lift his spirits and he didn't appear to dwell on his stalled career, even joking that having had rich parents would be useful for a while.

I called my Dad in the evening when I knew the family would have finished with dinner and he talked to me privately for a while, explaining that he had been a little doubtful at first when he had discussed what had happened with Mom, but after his long conversation with Esme both of them had accepted what the Cullens were. He found it harder to accept that I could still be with Edward, even though we had originally met and fallen in love when he was already a vampire. I feared that my family wouldn't want to see him even when he was safe to be around them, but Dad assured me that they would get used to it. For the time being, my sisters would be told only that Edward had been severely injured in the accident and that although he would recover, it would take a long time and that for the moment he couldn't have visitors.

I promised to get one of the Cullens to drive me to Neah Bay on Saturday to visit and then Dad put me on speaker phone so that I could talk to Mom and my sisters at the same time. Edward left me alone while I was talking to them and afterwards it was him who helped me up the stairs to our room.

We spent a couple hours watching a movie together, a completely mundane and normal pastime that actually had Edward laughing a few times as he lay face down on the bed next to me, his chin resting in his hands. I knew he was using the opportunity to forget what he was again even only temporarily, but when the movie ended and Jasper appeared at the door, he sat up at once.

"I'm ready," he said decidedly.

"Where are you going?"

I rolled over awkwardly, wincing as I knocked my leg on my other knee and struggled to sit up. Edward got to his feet, sucked in a long needless breath and blew it out slowly.

"I'm going hunting," he told me. "Don't wait up."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

I didn't go to bed until after midnight. Having slept part of the day away I wasn't tired and I hoped that Edward would return while I was still up. Both Jasper and Emmett had accompanied him into the forest and I prayed that he would come back in a positive frame of mind although at the same time I couldn't help worrying that he wouldn't go through with it.

Eventually my eyes grew heavy and I got ready for bed, throwing the comforter off and slipping under the thin sheet in only my shorts. It was a hot night and even with the windows open to let in what little breeze there was, I imagined I would find it difficult to sleep. However, I dozed off almost instantly when my head hit the pillow and I slept deeply and dreamlessly. When I opened my eyes again it was dawn and I felt cool and comfortable. It took me only a second to realise Edward was with me.

I held my breath, my pulse beginning to speed up as I felt him lying on the bed behind me, his chest cool against my back through the thin layers of his shirt and the sheet, which he was on top of. His arm rested around me, the cold hand in the middle of my chest and as it moved slightly, goosebumps began to rise on my skin as usual. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, a cool whisper every few seconds and I was unable to suppress a sudden shiver. I lifted my hand from the mattress slowly and covered his with it, holding it in place in case he made to pull away, but he merely slid it upwards an inch until it covered my heart, which was now racing.

"Mmm. You're so warm." His lips touched my skin as he whispered to me and his nose ruffled the short hair at the nape of my neck. "You smell nice."

"How long have you been here?"

"About an hour."

"How did it go?"

"Don't talk; go back to sleep. I disturbed you."

"No, you didn't. I'm glad you're here."

I turned my head until my cheek brushed his nose and after a brief pause his lips touched my cheek, then slid along my jaw to the corner of my mouth. I couldn't help a low moan and I shifted carefully onto my back so that I could look up at him. He hesitated momentarily and then his lips met mine, lightly caressing while his fingertips stroked over my chest. I pushed the sheet down and off of me, wanting one less layer between us. Edward lifted himself up briefly while I kicked the sheet onto the floor with my good leg, then slid my arms around him. The feel of him, his cold hands on my hot skin, his cool lips on my warm ones were having the same effect on me that they always had. My cock was beginning to wake, stirring in my shorts as it filled and stiffened and I groaned again, parting my lips, hesitantly extending my tongue a little and sweeping it along Edward's upper lip. I almost expected him to pull away, but instead his mouth covered mine more firmly and his tongue emerged, cold moistness suddenly trusting into my mouth, easily dominating the kiss and taking my breath away.

I hadn't expected any of this; I had imagined that anything more than a few tentative kisses like yesterday would be too much, but perhaps hunting with the others had made the difference. He certainly didn't seem concerned about breathing in my scent or tasting me. If everything I was feeling hadn't been so intense, I might have thought I was dreaming, but I knew I wasn't.

I stopped thinking as his hand slid from my chest to my upper arm, gripping tight as he kissed me hungrily, deep moans issuing from his throat. I was achingly hard and I wanted to turn more towards him, mold my body to his and grind against him, but I was unable to move, his chest and arm pinning me to the mattress and his lower body angled away. I clutched at his neck and shoulders, my upper body a mass of delicious shivers, aware that if he had removed his shirt, the feeling would only have been more intense. Meanwhile my balls ached and tightened and my erection quivered inside my shorts, a damp patch forming around the head as I leaked pre-cum. I was desperate for him to touch me; I could remember from before what it felt like to have his cold hand wrapped around my heated shaft and I groaned and squirmed, wanting to beg him to put his hand on me, but unable to speak or breathe as his mouth continued to assault me.

_'Please, Edward, touch me,'_ I thought and at once he pulled back. I opened my eyes and looked up into his golden ones, gasping for breath. "Please," I whispered aloud.

"I'm still worried I'll hurt you. Soon maybe." He lowered his head again and began to trace a line of icy kisses along my jaw and down the side of my neck. "Touch yourself."

"Edward..."

Strangely I felt awkward about the idea of jerking off while he lay there fully dressed, even though we had masturbated in front of each other countless times before. The first time we had touched each other in college we had been mostly dressed, shy and awkward and I realised it wasn't really that which concerned me, but more the fact that Edward was kissing and stroking me, arousing me to such an extent that I was almost coming in my shorts without any stimulation, but was getting nothing out of it himself.

"I am," he whispered in my ear. "Please."

His lips nibbled my ear lobe, then worked their way down my neck to my collarbone, his hand caressing my chest. My nipples were hard nubs, tingling each time his cold fingers brushed one and I watched through half-closed eyes as he continued kissing and stroking while I reached down and slipped one hand under the waistband of my shorts, lowering them to release my erection. It jutted upwards eagerly, the tip leaking onto my belly and I wrapped my fingers around it with a sigh of relief. Edward hummed his appreciation, teasing one of my nipples with the tip of his tongue while he pinched the other between finger and thumb, a little too hard, causing me to hiss in pain.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, removing his hand quickly. "You see? I can hurt you so easily."

"I'm ok."

I gave my cock a few long slow pumps, spreading my legs as far as the elastic of my shorts would allow and bending the knee of my uninjured leg, raising it from the bed. Edward propped his head on his hand, watching me touch myself while his free hand continued to stroke my chest and stomach. I was constantly surprised and thrilled by the contrast in temperatures, cold fingers on my hot body, cool breath on my neck as he breathed in and out needlessly. I wanted to prolong my orgasm, but at the same time I was aching and desperate. I quickened my hand movements, no longer looking at what I was doing, but turning my head to see Edward's face instead. His eyelids were lowered, long lashes framing his golden eyes, his red lips parted as he stared intently at my hand and my erection.

"Fuck...so close..." I groaned. "I'm gonna come."

My orgasm crashed through me, my cock pulsing fiercely in my hand, shooting its load onto my chest and stomach and dribbling down onto my fingers as I stroked myself through it, my hand slowing until I became too sensitive and released it. Edward planted a soft kiss on my cheek and vanished into the bathroom, returning in a second with a damp washcloth to clean me up. As he sat on the bed next to me, I realised again that he wasn't aroused at all and instantly I felt guilty for getting so much pleasure out of having him close to me, jerking off while he teased and touched me. I cleaned myself up quickly and pulled my shorts back up.

"I thought maybe seeing you do that might make something happen," Edward said, avoiding my eyes. "It's like I'm dead down there. Well, I guess that's true for all of me."

"Edward..." I reached out to him, hoping he wasn't going to withdraw from me. "Come here, lie down with me."

He did as I asked, nestling against my side with his head close to mine and a hand on my chest. I turned slowly to face him and rested both arms around him.

"You shouldn't worry about this too much," I said. "Think about everything that's happened. First off, you've been through an enormous physical change; one that you dreaded and hated. You've worried about how we could be together, that you might lose me, that I might not want you, about having to accept what you are; a lot of the time you're having to not breathe so my smell doesn't tempt you. All this is bound to have an effect on you of some kind. Don't you think you might be putting too much pressure on yourself too quickly? It was only yesterday you decided to try to move forward."

"I guess."

"It's been such a short time; only a few hours ago you decided to try hunting. You still doubt yourself; you're still afraid of hurting me..."

"Can you read minds too?" he asked with a wry smile. "I did hurt you. I thought I was being so careful and...God, look what I did to you." He touched my upper arm where dark finger-shaped bruises were already visible against my caramel skin. "Jacob, I'm so sorry."

"It's nothing, please don't get upset," I groaned.

"It's not nothing. Imagine if I'd touched you like you asked. Imagine if we made love; I could really damage you, whichever way we did it. Fuck." Suddenly he was out of my arms, flying backwards across the room to the far wall, his face anguished as he tugged a hand through his hair. "I can't be with you like this; I can't."

"Edward, stop it," I protested, pushing myself upright quickly. "It's ok. It'll be ok if we take our time over this. Please, come here." I stretched my hand out towards him, but he folded his arms around himself miserably and stayed where he was.

"I'm too strong for you," he said. "I thought I could control myself, but what seems like the gentlest touch to me is too much."

"It's just going to take practise. We don't have to do anything yet. You could just as easily have hurt me before, but you never did."

"You were so much stronger than you are now!" Edward exclaimed.

"You still could have crushed me or injured me some other way. I know most of the time you were holding back at least a bit. You'll learn how far you can go, but it's not going to happen all at once. Please come here; I'd come to you if I could, but this damned leg..."

"I think I should leave you to sleep," he said doubtfully.

"I'll sleep better with you here."

He remained against the wall as another minute ticked slowly by, glancing repeatedly at the window and just as I had resigned myself to the fact that he was probably going to disappear out of it, he returned to the bed and sat down carefully. I caught his hand in mine, stroking my thumb over his wedding ring.

"Why don't you get undressed?"

He shook his head.

"Just your shirt?"

He released a heavy sigh and then began to unfasten his shirt buttons, one at a time and then the cuffs before shrugging the garment off of his shoulders and tossing it across the room onto the chair in the corner. He looked so unhappy, eyes lowered, teeth pressing hard into his lower lip and I didn't need to read minds to know he didn't like the way he looked; that he felt uncomfortable being even partially clad in front of me.

I dropped my eyes slowly to his chest and upper arms, the skin so white it almost glowed in the dim light. It looked so smooth and soft, but I knew if I touched him he would feel hard; unbreakable. His upper body looked the same as it had in human form in shape - slim and toned, pecs and arm muscles defined, the sprinkling of hair on his chest leading down to his happy trail a light brown. I felt my cock twitch in my shorts again and I hoped he was still inside my head, reading what I really thought even before I spoke.

"My own beautiful vampire." It was exactly what I had said when I married him the first time and at last his face relaxed into a small smile again.

"You're crazy."

"I mean it. I can remember the first time I really looked at you and thought that. I saw you naked in Florence, but I don't count that time; I hadn't begun to feel the effects of the Imprint other than wanting to keep you safe and I wasn't ready to even think about looking at a guy's body. It was at Ruby Beach. I had the bright idea of going swimming and once we got in the water, I wished I'd suggested an activity that didn't involve being almost naked and wet because I was instantly hard and scared you'd hate it if you noticed. You were just...beautiful. Pale, wet, golden eyes...I couldn't take my eyes off of you."

"I still think you're crazy," Edward repeated. "And you have the patience of a saint."

"I love you," I said firmly. "I'll keep on telling you the same thing over and over until you accept that this is us now and I'm not going anywhere. We belong to each other, Edward. We always did, whether we're vampire and wolf, or human or a combination of both. You're my husband and I love you with everything I have in me."

"I love you too."

At last he lay down again and I lowered myself next to him, sliding my arms around him and tugging him close. His chest came to rest against mine, icy cold on my hot skin and his cool arm curled around my back, the hand on the lower part of my spine. He tucked his face into my neck and I shivered at the feel of him.

"You're so warm," he murmured. "Like my own personal furnace. Remember before when I wanted to cuddle you all the time? It was a combination of loving your heat and loving the closeness that I'd never had with anybody else; that I was so lonely for."

"And I loved the way you cooled me down; the wolf thing often made me feel like I might go up in flames." I brushed my lips against his cheek. "So are you going to tell me about your hunt?"

"I drove Emmett and Jasper mad," he said. "I kept changing my mind. I was determined to go, then I wanted to come home, then I thought I'd go through with it. Emmett got a young bear; its mother had been shot and it had stayed with the body so it was an easy target. I couldn't watch; I felt sick from the sight of him gorging himself, but at the same time the smell of the blood started to get to me. I ran off, intending to come home, but we'd gone quite a distance by then and I came across the path of a mountain lion."

"Your favourite," I put in.

"Yes. I didn't even see it at first; it was above me on a ledge planning on having me for its next meal probably. Then I caught the scent of it and...I guess that was it. I flew up there before it could either spring or run away. I won't go into any more detail about that part, but I did surprise myself. I felt good, elated almost. The others always say it's like a high and I suppose it is; I felt almost dizzy and stronger than I have since I was changed. I'm not so sure that's a good thing though; I bruised you so easily."

"Never mind that. You took another step; a positive one and I'm glad."

"I feel better physically. Mentally as well a little bit; I don't feel so dissatisfied any more. I'm sure Carlisle will be pleased that I'll stop raiding his surgery and the others will be relieved they won't have to keep going hunting just to keep me fed. It's easier being with you too."

"You're gonna be ok, Edward," I murmured.

I didn't doubt there were still going to be difficulties - that he would continue to swing between his current more positive mood and the despairing one he had been in such a short time ago - but he appeared to be taking more steps forward than backwards and it did seem that he would be able to prove the others wrong. It wasn't going to take him a year or even months to adapt after all.

Eventually I must have fallen asleep again and when I opened my eyes it was bright daylight and Edward was still with me, lying perfectly still in my arms and for once, not breathing. He had one arm tucked under himself, the other wrapped around me and one leg hooked carefully over mine, his body heavy where he had draped himself across me. It felt so good waking with him again and I wanted to lie there and pretend to be asleep so that I could enjoy the moment longer, although I knew he would register that I had stirred immediately from both my breathing and my pulse. I became aware that my arm, resting under his neck was numb and tingling and my morning erection was trapped uncomfortably beneath his thigh. It felt damp and I realised I was probably leaking through my shorts and onto his pants, but still I didn't move. Then a soft chuckle escaped from him and cool breath fanned my neck. His leg moved very slightly, nudging me and I groaned, resisting the urge to rub myself against him.

"Jacob!" Jasper's voice interrupted along with a loud knock on the door. "Have you seen Edward this morning?"

The door opened before I could answer and Jasper's face appeared in the gap, his expression quickly changing to alarm when he saw Edward wrapped around me.

"We're ok, don't worry," I said.

Edward turned his face away and scowled. "It's usual to wait for an invitation after you knock."

"Edward, we're just concerned, that's all. It's too soon..."

"We're fine," I repeated. "Edward's fine. Didn't Zara pick up on that?"

"She stays out of people's rooms, the same as I always did. Do," Edward said, disentangling himself from me carefully before he sat up. I rolled over quickly and clumsily, hoping Jasper hadn't caught sight of the erection straining against my shorts.

"Jasper, please go away," my vampire continued. "I would never hurt Jacob. I'm in control of myself; if I thought there was any danger I wouldn't be in here. I can do this."

"You're still a newborn, Edward; taking one cat down doesn't change much," the older vampire sighed.

"I know you all think it'll be like before; that I won't cope with it; that I'll starve myself again or lose my way, but it's not going to happen. Things are different this time; _I'm_ different. I have a reason to make things work and the sooner the better. Jacob's helping me."

"Jasper, leave them alone, Edward's doing ok," Emmett said from outside the room. "I didn't put that door on for you to keep barging through it. One of these days you'll walk in there and see something you'd rather not."

I immediately felt my face colouring up as I remembered the heated kisses in the middle of the night, Edward encouraging me to get myself off while he watched me. Jasper withdrew quickly and closed the door behind him.

"Sorry about them," Edward said. "I guess it's going to take them a while to trust that I'm safe with you."

"Well, I trust you," I said firmly.

"Thank you. I might go downstairs. Do you need anything? Help with anything?" He grabbed his shirt from the chair and swiftly put it on as I shook my head.

"I'll take a bath and come down for breakfast in a while."

He bent over to give me a brief kiss and in a second he was gone. I didn't move for another ten minutes, going over the night's events again in my head. Having him kiss and touch me like that had been amazing and I shivered as I thought about it, but it was the way he stayed with me all night, as close as he could get, that thrilled me more. We were going to be ok, I knew we were, and it looked as if things were going to improve much faster than anybody anticipated. Edward was beginning to accept things and he trusted himself to be near me, even though it was obviously going to take some encouragement before he would do anything that would risk him bruising me again, or hurting me in some other way.

I hauled myself up slowly and made my way into the bathroom, glancing at myself in the mirror. My eyes were sparkling and my lips were swollen from being so thoroughly kissed. I was still hard and I put a towel on the toilet lid and sat on it, deciding to take care of my erection before I ran the bath.

I closed my eyes and grasped my cock firmly, cupping my balls in the other hand and squeezing lightly, tugging on them as I began to stroke myself. I imagined I could still feel Edward next to me, his cool body resting against mine, hands and lips exploring my chest, teasing my nipples, working their way down over my stomach. I gripped myself tighter, moving my hand more quickly as I moved the memory forward into fantasy, almost able to feel my vampire's cold hand slide up and down my shaft, a light touch, making me jerk and quiver, cold breath blowing on my heated and swollen tip.

"God...Edward..." I groaned.

I swept my thumb over the head of my cock, collecting the pre-cum which oozed from it and spreading it down my length, easing the movement of my hand. I began to thrust my hips forward rhythmically, fucking my fist as in my mind, Edward's tongue emerged from his red lips and tasted me, dipping into my slit and then following a vein down the underside of my shaft to my balls. Teasingly he worked his way back up and drew the head into his mouth, encasing it in icy moistness, tongue circling while his hand worked me. Already it was too much - just those brief few moments pushed me over the edge and I bit my lip hard to suppress the loud groan which threatened to escape. I came hard, spurting through my fist and onto my stomach, almost disappointed that it was over so fast.

My half-fantasy probably mirrored reality pretty well I thought as I grabbed my washcloth to clean myself up. If Edward took me in his mouth, I would be shamefully quick in losing control of myself. I doubted that would happen any time soon, but at least we were making progress and at a much faster rate than I could have hoped for.

After my bath I dressed in some of the new clothes Esme had bought for me and then headed slowly downstairs, using one crutch and the bannister. I could smell bacon cooking and guessed one of the Cullens was making breakfast for me. My stomach rumbled in appreciation, but what pleased me more was the sound of piano keys tinkling faintly from behind the closed door of the music room. I paused in the hallway to listen for a moment, immediately recognising Debussy and a beam spread across my face.

"I don't know what you did or said, but it's obviously working," Tanya said from behind me. "He can't play like that if he's anxious."

"I know," I grinned.

"Are you going in?"

"No." I shook my head. "Maybe later."

"I really thought it would be a whole lot worse than this. Everybody did." She shrugged and smiled. "Guess it must be down to his husband. You know, I could actually get to like you."

"Nah," I joked. "You're always going to see me as a dog."

I headed for the kitchen, following the scent of the bacon, leaving Edward alone to enjoy his music.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Edward surprised everybody with his determination to become used to being a vampire again. Aside from me, only Jasper and Zara realised how hard it was for him, but everyone believed it was me that was making the difference.

Not every day was a good one. Edward made efforts to hunt at least once in any twenty-four-hour period so that his thirst wasn't a problem and he could then stay close to me, spending the night wrapped around me and the day at my side. However, on some occasions he would be unsatisfied after hunting and would keep more of a distance between us. Other times he would simply fall into depression, convinced that there couldn't be a real future for us and I would have to try to reassure him all over again that we could make it work.

Two months had gone by since the accident and nothing physical had really happened between us. Edward would kiss me until I was breathless and explore my upper body with lips and tongue and the light touch of his fingers, encouraging me to jerk off, but he wouldn't do any more than that for fear of hurting me and he wouldn't let me touch him, or even look at him. I was desperate to make him feel better and I wracked my brains for a solution.

In the meantime, my leg had been healing well and it was time for another x-ray. Carlisle had suggested he may be able to remove the cast and apply a smaller, lighter one if things were going well and Edward accompanied me to the surgery and sat with me while I was x-rayed. The doctor showed me the image of my leg, the bones knitting together well, although the sight of the screws in there made me shudder. I could only imagine that removing them again would involve another serious surgery when the time came, followed by a lot of pain.

I was relieved when Carlisle cut the plaster off and began to prepare a new substance to apply, telling me that it would be so light I would barely notice it was there. In addition, he would give me a plastic sleeve with seals at the ends to stick to my skin, which could be pulled over the slim new cast to enable me to take proper baths or showers. I was delighted and this gave me an idea that might help Edward.

Unfortunately the others were going to know I was up to something, because I was going to have to ask them to let Edward and me have the house to ourselves. It was Emmett that I chose to speak to about it. I would have found it too embarrassing to talk to any of the women and I was convinced that Carlisle and Jasper would think it a bad idea. Both were still anxious about Edward's control when he was close to me and I knew that one or other of them constantly prowled around the upstairs when Edward spent the night with me as I slept.

"Emmett, can I talk to you?" I asked. I was outside on the porch getting some fresh air and Edward had gone hunting with Jasper and Charlotte. The big vampire was keeping me company.

"You are talking, aren't you?" he smirked. "Oh, I get it; this is a brother-in-law chat, right?"

"Huh...kind of. I'm not after advice, but I do want to ask a favour."

"Go on."

"I want to do something special for Edward, but it's going to be difficult without all of you knowing what we're doing and then...well, I guess it'd be embarrassing."

"You want to get rid of us. Why didn't you just say?" Emmett grinned. "When?"

"I don't know, whenever's convenient."

"Carlisle has a double shift tomorrow. The rest of us could go hunting for a few hours. What are you planning? Or maybe I shouldn't ask."

"No, you shouldn't. I don't even know if it'll work or not, but..."

"You two still got problems?" Emmett interrupted. "Edward's ok now, isn't he? At least most of the time. I honestly thought it'd be much longer than this before he was even safe to be near you."

"He's afraid he'll hurt me," I admitted. "And he's not comfortable with his appearance."

"He won't get naked?" Emmett chortled. "So you want us out of the way so you can seduce him?"

"Something like that," I muttered, feeling my face burning.

"Jake, you gotta be careful," he said more seriously. "I don't really want to think about what you might get up to, but jeez, you could end up on Carlisle's table again. I wouldn't even attempt it if Zara was human."

"Yeah, alright, Emmett, I've thought of that. I'll be fine. Just make sure everybody goes out, please?"

"Sure. I'll go out hunting with Edward in the morning too so he's not thirsty."

"Thanks, Emmett."

"What are brothers-in-law for?" he smiled. "Not sure how I'm going to convince Esme to leave you two alone, but we'll worry about that tomorrow."

Later Carlisle drove me over to Neah Bay to visit my family. It had become a regular trip every Saturday or Sunday, with one or another of the Cullens taking me there and either staying to talk, or leaving me there and returning later to collect me. Carlisle stayed and spent some time talking to Dad while I entertained my sisters. They had previously decorated my old cast with pictures and messages and were now keen to be the first to deface the new one.

"How long will it be before you get rid of this?" Claire asked as she began drawing two smiling faces which she assured me were herself and Chloe, just so I wouldn't miss them too much during the week.

"Probably another two or three months. It's healing well, but it's not strong enough yet."

"Will you still be able to be a coach?" Chloe said.

"I hope so. If I can run ok once it's all better, I'll be able to."

"When can we see Edward?"

"Not yet, he's not well enough. He will be, you just need to be patient."

"We miss him," Claire pouted. "What if he forgets us?"

"That's definitely not going to happen," I assured them.

"Can we draw him a picture?"

"Sure, he'd love it."

This kept the pair occupied for some time, sharing a large sheet of paper and sketching out a picture of a house with Mom and Dad, themselves and Edward and me standing close by. They gave Edward red hair and green eyes and had him holding hands with me. The girls were pretty good at art by then and it was clear who each of the characters were.

"Edward will love this," I told them.

Edward was actually very touched by the picture and pinned it to the wall in the music room so he could see it when he played the piano. He spent some time playing that evening and I sat next to him on the long bench, watching his slim white fingers fly over the keys, creating exquisite sounds without once looking at a sheet of music.

I did my best not to think about what I was planning for the next day. Edward didn't often invade my head now unless invited, but I didn't want the one time he took a peek to show him what I wanted to do and give him the opportunity to avoid it. I convinced myself that once the others were all out of the house, it would be perfect, but I also knew that giving him too much time to think about it would probably have him deciding it was a bad idea.

The following morning, Emmett was knocking on our door at seven, shouting that he was thirsty and that Edward may as well hunt with him. Edward raised his head from the pillow with a groan, clearly about to protest.

"Your eyes are black," I noted. "You better go with him."

"I'm alright for a little longer."

"Go. There's no sense making yourself uncomfortable."

I gave him a light kiss and pushed him away from me. He nodded and I watched as he blurred to his feet, pulled on a clean shirt, fastened it and tucked it into his pants in the space of a few seconds, grinning at my continued fascination with the speed at which he moved.

"Aren't you used to this by now?"

"Yes, but I still find it amazing."

I felt a light breeze, a cool brush across my lips and then he was gone, having crossed the room and kissed me without me realising it. I smiled to myself and lay there a while longer, thinking about what would happen later. I had checked several times that the items I wanted were in the house and all I had to do was set things up when the others went out, somehow keeping Edward from seeing what I was doing, and then persuade him to join me.

Emmett waited until about an hour before dusk and then encouraged everyone to hunt with him. Zara of course knew what was planned, but the others didn't and Esme and Jasper immediately expressed concern about leaving Edward and me alone in the house.

"They've been ok for the past couple months, just because we're not around it doesn't mean that'll change," Emmett said. "Don't you think they might want some time alone once in a while?"

"I'm fine," Edward said at once, turning his pale golden eyes on the others. "I'm not in the least thirsty."

I was relieved that he didn't query the others all going off together or suggest going with them. Instead he went to the music room to play the piano and I realised this was the perfect opportunity I needed. I asked him to play a piece he had composed a long time ago in college and left the door open so that I could hear him as I hobbled around the kitchen, finding wine glasses and a bottle of cherry coke to fill one of them.

"What are you doing?" Edward called out above the music.

"Getting a drink! Won't be long!"

I forced myself to think about other things as I made my way to Carlisle's surgery, grabbed a bag of blood marked 'ML' from the chiller and emptied it into the second glass. I left the glasses on the occasional table in the hall while I went upstairs to the master bath, turned on the hot water to fill the giant floor-sunk tub and opened the cupboard which held Esme's fancy candles. Within minutes I had a dozen little flickering lights along the edge of the tub and I emptied an entire bottle of lemon-scented bubbles into the water before I shuffled, panting from the exertion, downstairs to find Edward. He had stopped playing the piano and was coming out of the room to look for me.

"What are you up to?" he asked again. "I thought you were getting a drink."

"I was." I picked up the glass of blood from the table behind me and passed it to him, then took my own, hoping I wouldn't spill it as I used the one crutch to help me make my way into the main lounge.

"Jacob?"

"I thought it was time we did something special." I lowered myself carefully onto the large couch and put the crutch aside. "Come sit down."

Edward sat close to my side, his lips twitching up at one side into his crooked smile. "You planned this, didn't you? Getting rid of the others?"

"Emmett was pretty helpful." I held my glass up and clinked it gently against his. "This is another new start for us. I know you still have doubts and fears, but so long as we love each other, we'll be fine. I love you, Edward, so much."

"I love you too. Thank you for this." He reached for my free hand and laced our fingers together, his hand cool and his grip firm, but not too tight. He had gotten used to the amount of pressure he could apply without bruising.

We sipped our drinks and leaned back against the cushions, our eyes locked together. His were several swirling shades of gold and it reminded me of when he was human – his green eyes would change colour, taking on one of a dozen tones at any one time, reflecting his mood or his surroundings. I leaned closer and caressed his cool lips with mine, observing the faint coppery taste of blood lingering there.

"It still surprises me that it doesn't bother you," he murmured when I drew back.

"It never did before. It's just part of you, Edward."

"I wish I could do more for you." He squeezed my hand gently. "I want so much to be to you what I once was, but I don't know how."

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

"Of course."

"I had an idea that I want us to try."

His brow wrinkled slightly. "What is it?"

"Come with me." I placed my half empty glass on the nearby table and pulled myself to my feet.

"Where are we going?"

"Upstairs."

"Jacob..."

"Trust me, please," I begged. "I'm not going to do anything you don't want, but I'm hoping you will want it."

He nodded slowly as I picked up the crutch and then removed it from my hand and put it down again.

"Do you trust me?"

"Sure."

"Hold on, then."

I let out an embarrassing sound similar to a squeal as I was suddenly swung off the ground into Edward's arms and I held onto his neck firmly.

"You sound like a girl," he teased.

"Shut up."

Edward headed for the stairs at normal speed and climbed them steadily, then halted outside our door.

"I can hear water running," he said.

"It's in the master bath."

He carried me to the bathroom and I opened the door slowly so as not to cause a draft that would blow the candles out. The tub was about three-quarters filled and as Edward lowered me carefully onto my good leg, I hopped over to it and turned the faucet off, dipping my fingers in to test the temperature. It was scalding hot, just about bearable for me and delicious for him if I could only get him out of his clothes and into it. He was still standing by the door, a slightly anxious look on his face.

"Come in and close the door," I said. "Trust me?"

He nodded slowly and did as I asked. "You went to so much trouble."

"I just want to make you feel better, Edward. We don't have to do anything, but I know how you love the heat of the water. I thought we could share it; maybe it'll stop you worrying so much that I'm going to find you unappealing in some way."

"You must think I'm being ridiculous," he said with an awkward laugh.

"I've never thought that; but I hope you'll join me in there since I went to so much trouble to get rid of your family."

I gave him a warm smile and turned by back to him while I took off my shirt and cargo shorts, then bent to remove my underwear. I could feel his eyes on me and I determinedly ignored him as I pulled the plastic sleeve over my cast, sealed it in place and sat down carefully on the edge of the tub before lowering myself into the hot, bubble-covered water. The heat made my skin tingle and I let my head fall back against the edge of the bath and closed my eyes.

I could hear nothing except for my own breathing, but then after a moment there was the soft sound of an item of clothing joining mine on the floor. I held my breath and listened to the clink of his belt buckle, then his zipper sliding down and my cock began to rise beneath the water as I imagined I was watching. He had undressed for me countless times before and I recalled him doing so in vampire form after the first time we got married. I knew he was standing right behind me, probably in white shorts, his body pale and smooth, the tantalising line of light brown hair disappearing into his waistband. I pictured him hooking his thumbs into the elastic and lowering the shorts, uncovering the part of him that I hadn't even seen since before the accident. It would be as pale as the rest of him, the head faintly pink and surprisingly soft, almost as it had been when he was human.

I let my breath out suddenly as the bubbles rose and fell around me, the water rippling as Edward slid into it and sat beside me with a long sigh.

"I forgot how good this feels."

"I thought you might have."

He slid lower suddenly, his knees rising up from the bubbles and his head disappearing beneath them. I grinned to myself as he submerged himself, telling myself not to be stupid when I worried that he didn't surface after a minute or two. He didn't need to breathe, but I still had to remind myself of that. Eventually he sat up again, brushing his hands over his head to remove the lemony bubbles, his red lips parted over his teeth in a wide grin. He lay back beside me and rested as low in the water as he could get, relishing the heat just as I had hoped he would.

"Thank you," he said.

"My pleasure."

I felt for his hand under the water and held it as we lay soaking, barely even speaking, me unable to keep the smile off of my face and Edward's eyes closed, his expression dreamy. Time passed and eventually he sat up and stretched, grinning and smoothing his hands over his damp hair.

"My fingers are going wrinkly."

"Stay there. There's more," I said.

I reached behind me to snare the bottle of shampoo I had positioned within reach and squeezed some into my hand. Edward closed his eyes and sat motionless while I washed his hair, massaging his scalp with my fingertips until he was rolling his head slightly, emitting soft moans that went straight to my groin. When I finished, he ducked under the water again to rinse out the suds and then sat up and turned to look at me.

"Want me to do yours?"

"Not yet, I'm not finished."

I picked up the shower gel and sponge, soaking the latter and squeezing out some of the former, then beginning to lather his shoulders and upper back as much as was visible above the water. He leaned forward, arms resting on his knees and I grinned happily as I bathed him, reaching around him to wash his chest. He straightened up obligingly and half turned towards me.

"You're spoiling me."

"That was my intention." I plunged the sponge into the water and squeezed it out over him, rinsing off the soap. "Sit up there."

I indicated the tiles surrounding the tub, holding my breath again as I waited to see if he would refuse. He hesitated for a long moment and then suddenly he was out of the water, his butt resting on the cool surface, legs still in the tub. His chest rose and fell rapidly as I looked at him, my eyes drifting slowly from his leg which was next to me to his cock. It was about half hard, hovering slightly above his thighs and I pressed a soft kiss onto his knee.

"You're so beautiful, Edward."

I applied more shower gel to the sponge and began to wash his leg with it, manoeuvring myself awkwardly until I faced him so that I could reach both legs easier. He closed his eyes and leaned back on his hands, teeth biting into his lower lip as I worked my way up his thighs and then brushed the sponge over his cock.

"Mmm."

Delighted, I slowly began to rub the sponge along his length, watching it grow and rise against his belly, his legs spreading apart either side of me, his head dropping back between his shoulders. He was as hard as I was, the flared head of his cock pink, the organ quivering as I continued sponging it. I rinsed him quickly and then moved closer, stretching my leg out to one side of me in an effort not to put my weight on it.

"Jacob..."

"Sshh. Lie back," I murmured.

I rested my hands on his thighs, the thumbs stroking firmly and he leaned back, lowering himself flat onto the tiles without protest. It was almost like the first time all over again - the first time I ever touched him. I grasped his cock firmly, curling my fingers around it and feeling it twitch immediately. I cupped his balls with the other, marvelling at how soft and human they felt, despite their coolness, not completely diminished by the hot water. His breath hissed out between his teeth as I caressed and stroked, sliding my hand slowly up and down his shaft, rubbing by thumb over the head as he began to leak pre-cum after only a brief moment.

My own erection throbbed achingly against my stomach, neglected and longing for attention, but I continued to ignore it, lifting myself slightly on my good knee so that I could reach to run my tongue over his tip.

"Oh, God," he groaned, his fists clenching at his sides.

"Feel nice?"

"Don't stop. I want..."

"Want me to make you come?"

"Unh..."

I took him in my mouth, swirling my tongue around and sucking gently, something I had been longing to do for weeks and that at last he seemed to want just as much. I lowered my head, taking more of him in, gradually bobbing my head and following the movement with my hand, tightening my grip much more than I would have normally as I remembered how he had begged me to squeeze harder when we were vampire and wolf.

"Fuck...Jacob...uh...Christ..." he moaned, thrusting his hips upwards suddenly so that he plunged deeper than I expected and hit the back of my throat. I pulled off quickly, trying not to gag.

"Sorry." He subsided, shuddering, on the tiles, lifting a hand to rest gently on my head. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, relax."

I drew him between my lips again and continued sucking and stroking, his thighs quivering either side of me with the effort of staying still.

"Your mouth is so hot," he gasped. "I missed this so much. I thought...I wouldn't be able to."

"Mmph," I responded.

I increased my speed as much as I could. He was close, his balls pulled up tight against his body, the base of his cock pulsing in my hand and cool fluid oozing onto my tongue as I sucked and licked and gently bit, my hand flying up and down the lower half. He came hard, filling my mouth with cold sweetness, his yell echoing around the bathroom and his body going limp. I released him reluctantly, drawing the last drops from him before I shifted my position again quickly to make myself more comfortable. Edward remained where he was for a moment and then eventually pulled himself up and slipped back into the water beside me. His eyes were black, but I knew that this time it was from desire rather than thirst.

"That was amazing." He brushed cool fingers down my cheek. "You're amazing. I don't feel like I deserve any of this; I've been such terrible company for you. I'm supposed to be your husband and I haven't been giving you anything."

"You have; you're here," I said. "I know how hard you've been trying to get used to this."

"I love you. You're the reason I'm here. You're what's made this so much easier than it was before; putting up with all of my shit, always having an answer for every negative thought I have, endlessly patient, even managing to get me hard again. I want to do something for you." He smirked suddenly and his other hand came to rest on my thigh below the water. "I'm still afraid I'll hurt you. Guide me this time?"

I lifted his hand from my thigh and placed it over my cock, shuddering at the feel of his touch, cool even in the still hot water. I wrapped his long fingers around me, covering them with my own, guiding his hand up and down slowly, forcing myself to keep my eyes open so that I could look into his. I squeezed his hand slightly, making him tighten his grip just a little and then let go.

"Just like that," I whispered.

He continued jerking me off, his hand beginning to move faster as I thrust myself against his palm, groans and growls issuing from me as my orgasm approached much more rapidly than I would have liked. Edward increased his speed even more and I rolled my head back onto the edge of the bath, digging my nails into his neck as I clutched at him.

"Fuck...I'm coming...uh...so good, Edward," I moaned.

My cock pulsed in his cool grip, shooting its load into the water, his thumb softly rubbing the over-sensitive head afterwards until I begged him to stop. He took his hand off of me and sat still until I opened my eyes and lifted my head slowly.

"That felt so good."

He leaned closer and his lips caressed mine for a moment until I had to pull back to gasp for breath. Then he rose slowly to his feet and stooped to help me up. We didn't speak as we stepped out of the tub and into the shower to rinse off. Edward had already blown the candles out and pulled the plug and by the time we finished in the shower and dried ourselves, the bath had drained. I gathered up all of our clothes and then Edward picked me up and carried me to our room. It was still early, but he lowered me onto the bed and lay down beside me, drawing the sheet over us and snuggling close, his coolness against my warmth, lips, chest, thighs, feet, as many parts of us touching as we could manage.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

It was dawn when I woke. I was lying with my back to Edward, his cold body molded to mine, his arm around my waist and his erection nestling into my crack. I was achingly hard too, but I stayed perfectly still, trying to keep breathing evenly as I relished waking up with my naked and aroused husband. Of course he would know immediately that I had stirred, but I wanted just another minute before he pulled away from me.

"You're awake." Cool breath tickled my ear as he whispered into it and his hand stroked idly over my stomach, his wrist bumping the head of my cock and drawing a quiet moan from me.

"You know, if I was like you I could lie here like stone and you wouldn't know..."

"If you were like me, you wouldn't sleep," Edward chuckled.

"Yeah, I forgot that part." I covered his hand with mine and squeezed it, then turned my head to glance at him over my shoulder. His eyes were coal black and shining. "Are you thirsty or just horny?"

"I'm not thirsty."

"So you're not going to suddenly vanish out of the bed?"

"No. You made last night amazing. I hoped it wasn't just a one-off thing from the atmosphere you created, but..." He rocked his hips against me gently. "...apparently not."

"Mmm. Keep doing that. I missed this." I pushed his hand lower and he lifted it from my belly and wrapped it carefully around my cock.

"Is that ok?"

"A bit tighter."

His hand closed more firmly around me and slowly began to travel up and down my length, the coldness on my heat making me twitch more than the friction. I pushed myself back against him, grinding my butt onto him, encouraging him to move with me and he began to thrust gently, rubbing himself up and down between my cheeks.

I longed for him to fuck me; I could remember what it was like when I was a wolf, but it was a long distant memory and I tried to imagine him rolling away from me to grab the lube, coating himself in it and then pushing his icy cock up into my heat, filling me, each thrust bumping my prostate until I came, clenching around him and making him shoot his load inside me.

His hand moved faster and I felt cool dampness as his cock began to leak pre-cum. He was panting against the back of my neck, the feel of his breath sending shivers down my spine and my balls began to tighten, the feel of his hand, his cock, his mouth and my thoughts pushing me towards the edge.

"Fuck, Jacob, your thoughts are going to make me come faster than what I'm doing," he groaned suddenly.

"Come for me. I'm close," I gasped.

His hand quickened its pace even more and my orgasm rushed upon me, my cock jerking and emptying itself onto the sheet in front of me and over his fingers. Almost at once he let out a loud moan and I felt his cold fluid shoot onto my butt and my lower back, his body shuddering. My heart was hammering, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I struggled to suck in enough oxygen. I was surprised and delighted to have woken to this, but I still wished I could have had him inside of me.

"You know we can't."

"Edward, it's early days," I said. "Yesterday you didn't think we could even touch without me getting hurt. Let's just not worry about it for now." I rolled over to face him and brushed my lips against his. "I love you. Waking up to you like this was amazing."

"I love you too." He inhaled suddenly and his nostrils fluttered. His eyes were still black, I noticed and he gulped uncomfortably. "Sorry...uh...I need to go."

"It's alright."

In an instant he was gone from the bed, blurring into the bathroom to clean himself up and then diving into some clean clothes that he took from the drawers and wardrobe.

"Do you need anything? Your crutch is downstairs."

"The other one's over there." I pointed to the corner of the room. "I'm fine, just go. I'll see you later."

He left the room quickly and I listened as loud laughter echoed up the stairs and I recognised Emmett's voice; no doubt he was teasing Edward about our night together and I grinned to myself. It had gone better than I could possibly have imagined. I had hoped, but I hadn't really expected him to touch me, or even allow me to touch him, assuming he could get hard. The bath had been perfect and I lay there a few more minutes going over each detail in my head; the feel of him, the cool sweet taste of him, just the way I remembered, his touch and then this morning, waking to find him just as eager as I was.

I grimaced as I began to stiffen again, my cock tugging at my pubic hair, which it was almost glued to. Reluctantly I threw the sheet aside and got out of the bed, realising with annoyance that I had left the plastic sleeve for my cast in the master bath. I made my way to the bathroom and used a wash cloth to clean myself up, smirking as I wiped Edward's fluid from my butt. Hopefully this was going to become a regular morning occurrence.

I put some clothes on, grabbed the crutch and went to the main bathroom to collect our things, finding both mine and Edward's clothes neatly folded on the counter beside the sink and feeling my face redden as I wondered which of the Cullens had found them in a heap on the floor and tidied up. I took them back to our room, separated the clean items from the laundry, put my plastic sleeve in the bathroom and then headed slowly downstairs, hoping I wouldn't find a welcoming committee there.

Only Emmett and Jasper greeted me and I helped myself to coffee and toast, trying to ignore Emmett's teasing smirks and Jasper's slight anxiety.

"Who...um...tidied the bathroom?" I wondered.

"Esme," Emmett said.

"Oh, God." My face burned and the big vampire chortled.

"Don't worry about it, you know we don't have many secrets in this house."

"Even so, it's kind of awkward having your mother-in-law knowing what you've been up to," I grimaced. "Did Edward go hunting with the others?"

"No, he's just with Zara. Esme and Charlotte have gone to PA to stock up on some things. Candles, in Esme's case." He snorted with laughter again and I groaned.

"I hope you're careful," Jasper sighed. "You don't seem to realise how easily you could get hurt."

"We're fine; Edward's fine. Stop worrying, will you? He really is getting much better."

"He's certainly calmer," Jasper acknowledged. "I'm not feeling the constant pain and fear from him any more."

"Do you think we could go out somewhere?" I asked suddenly.

"What do you mean, 'out somewhere'? You can't go where there are people. Not yet; it'd be too hard for him."

"I know; I was thinking about going to our house. Just for a couple of hours to see it."

"It's in PA, it's too risky." It was Emmett who said this. "Too high a concentration of people."

"Edward hasn't had any exposure to humans yet, except you, and you're different," Jasper added.

"Yeah, full of mutt blood."

"Emmett! I meant he's determined he won't hurt you because you're his husband and he's got amazing self-control there. He's not ready to be within reach of anybody else yet. Even when he is, Carlisle would want all of us there, just in case."

"Damn," I sighed. "Well, it can wait, I guess." I had thought it would have been nice to go there, maybe to start thinking about the furniture we would like to buy, just spend a few hours together in our own home, but I didn't want to put Edward under any unnecessary pressure.

"We can all go, when he's ready," Emmett suggested. "Carlisle's going to have to decide when that is."

I said nothing more about it, but it was on my mind and of course Edward picked up on it a few days later when we were still in bed. I had woken to find him aroused as was usually the case now and he was waiting impatiently for me to stir. I rose eagerly and sucked him, crouching over him while he did his best to keep still, yelling out his pleasure when he came in my mouth and clearly alerting everyone who may have been in the house to what we were doing. If only we could have been doing this in our own home, we could be as loud as we wanted without worrying about it. I released Edward slowly and licked my lips, lying down beside him again. I was aching for him to touch me and he quickly wrapped his cool hand around me and began to stroke.

"You were thinking about our house."

"Yeah. I can't wait until you're ok to go there, even occasionally. We're both so damned loud!" I groaned noisily to prove my point as his thumb rubbed over the head of my cock, his touch too light to be anything but frustrating.

"Maybe we can go there later," Edward said. "At least to look."

"Uh...God...talk to me after," I mumbled, pushing myself impatiently against his hand.

"Let me try something."

He took his hand off of me and in a second he was kneeling between my spread legs, bending over me. His hand grasped me again a little more firmly and he experimentally brushed the tip of his tongue over my slit, capturing a bead of pre-cum.

"_Fuck!"_ I hissed.

Edward grinned and repeated the small touch, this time swirling his tongue around my head a little, the cold moistness making my cock throb and shivers travel up and down my spine. I longed to be reminded of what it felt like to be completely encased in his mouth, but at the same time I felt the slightest prickle of fear. He paused again and looked at me.

"I'm ok, I promise. I went out to hunt while you were sleeping."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Don't be, it's understandable. My teeth so close to such a large concentration of your blood." He smirked suddenly. "I won't hurt you."

"You know, not so long ago you wouldn't have even tried this," I reminded him.

"Not so long ago I was afraid I'd lose control; now I know I won't."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

He stopped talking and drew my length into his mouth, dropping his head until his nose was in my pubic hair and my cock in his throat. One hand cupped my balls, rolling them gently in his palm and I shuddered and squirmed, clenching my fists at my sides.

"Holy shit!" I gasped.

Edward's mouth and throat vibrated with a muffled laugh and then he began to work me slowly with both hands and mouth, his head bobbing up and down, lips and tongue massaging, one hand following the movement. I began to thrust my hips automatically, fucking his mouth and watching my shaft encircled by his white hand and red lips.

"Fuck...Edward...Jesus..."

I knew I was going to disgrace myself in an appallingly short space of time and another soft chuckle tickled me at this thought. He increased his speed and I stretched my arms up above my head, gripping onto the head of the bed tightly as too many sensations assaulted me all at once; coldness, wetness, tongue, lips, hands, in addition to the sight of his wild copper hair bobbing up and down over my erection – my beautiful husband was sucking my cock, something I had feared I would never experience again.

I mumbled and cursed, a string of nonsense exploding out of my mouth as my orgasm took me, my toes curling and my body arching up off the mattress as my cock jerked repeatedly, spilling its contents into Edward's mouth. He swallowed every drop and proceeded to lick me clean while I groaned and protested that it was too sensitive and then suddenly he was lying at my side with a cat-that-got-the-cream grin on his face.

"Vampire that got the cream," he corrected with a wider grin. "I missed this."

_'I still want you to fuck me,'_ I thought.

"I'm not so sure about that." His lips touched mine lightly and I tasted myself. "Maybe you could try doing it. If I can control myself enough to not crush you. We could try with a finger or something some time?" He lowered his eyes and grinned crookedly and I knew that if he were human, his face would have been scarlet.

"Are you sure?" My racing heart quickened its pace further and my softening cock twitched slightly. "You said we could never..."

"I didn't think I would have sufficient control. I still might not, but we can try something at least. I'm still scared I'll fuck up and hurt you, but I want to so much. You and your romantic baths and candles and your heat and your dirty mind; I can't think about anything else. If it doesn't work, we won't do it again."

I tugged him closer to me and caressed his cool, salty lips with mine, running my hand down his back.

"When?" I whispered into his mouth.

"Well...not here. You're so loud, Jacob."

I felt my face warming. "You should hear yourself. You were noisy as a human, but now...you scream." I was teasing him, but he still looked amusingly shame-faced.

"I do not scream. But just in case...we should wait until we can be at our own house. The others are horrified enough by what we're doing. Carlisle actually spoke to me..." He groaned and closed his eyes. "Well, not as such, he _thought_ and directed it at me purposefully. As a newborn, I'm much more powerful than any of them; I could cripple you far too easily; get over-excited and accidentally bite; damage you internally...really, I was surprised at the images in his head, not to mention mortified."

"What did you say?" I was cringing now at the thought of facing the others, especially Carlisle.

"I just said I wouldn't do anything that would put you at risk and he shouldn't worry about it, but he does worry. All of them do."

"If only I was stronger," I sighed. "If the wolf gene wasn't dormant and I was the way I was before, nobody would need to worry, including you, but it doesn't seem like that's likely to happen. Did you know some time ago I actually asked Emmett if it would be possible to change me?"

Edward stiffened and drew away from me a little. "No, I didn't know that. I didn't pick that up from you and I keep out of his head mostly; it's filled with nonsense and sex with Zara. What did he say?"

"It's alright, he basically told me I was a jerk; it would poison whoever tried to change me and wouldn't work anyway because of the wolf gene."

"Well, he was right, as well as the fact that no vampire – at least not one of us – would change a healthy person."

"He said that as well."

"I can't believe you'd even consider...being this." He sat up suddenly, dragging a hand through his hair. "Why would you want to give up your life? I didn't have a choice..."

"Shit," I muttered. I sat up and grabbed his hand. "Don't start thinking like that again. I was worried; I thought it would help me be with you. I thought if I was the same, we could do anything; have an eternity together. It was when you were so miserable about everything; talking about me growing old and leaving you."

"I was wrong," Edward said firmly. "We may not have an eternity, but we'll have a lot of years and I want to make the most of it. Of course I think about it still - eventually losing you – but if this is what is meant for us, then we make it work as it is."

"That's a big change of heart," I observed.

"If I didn't change the way I looked at it, I'd still be curled up on this bed starving and crying and telling you to stay away from me. I love you, Jacob, and I mean to be with you any way I can, for as long as I can."

I smiled again at last. "In that case, we need to get you used to handling other people being within...smelling distance, so we can make use of our house."

We got out of the bed and took a shower together, then dressed quickly and headed down to the kitchen so that I could get some breakfast.

"Keep thinking about me sucking your cock," Edward whispered in my ear. "That way if Zara takes a peek, she won't linger and pick up anything about the house."

"Edward, I'm going to have a red enough face as it is," I groaned, hobbling to the refrigerator to look for food.

"Yes, you are rather colourful," he grinned.

"Morning, guys." It was Zara's voice as she came in followed by Emmett, who was smirking knowingly.

"Morning," both Edward and I responded. I turned my back to them, pretending interest in the contents of the fridge as I found bacon, eggs and bread and firmly fixed an image of Edward crouching over me, my cock in his mouth, in my mind.

Immediately Zara was talking to Edward about the fact that Carlisle had been called to the hospital to deal with an emergency and that Esme was in Forks buying groceries. I assumed she must have seen what I was thinking and had quickly exited my head and I set about making my breakfast, hoping my face wasn't as red as it felt.

We discovered that Jasper and Charlotte were out hunting, which left only the two vampires in front of us to get away from. I ate while Edward quizzed them about what they planned to do with the morning – read, in Zara's case and 'nothing much' in Emmett's.

"We're going out in the car," Edward said. "I miss driving. I'm sure I can still do it if I can manage not to break anything."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Emmett frowned.

"You sound like Carlisle, or Jasper. I'm fine, I want to try out more things," Edward went on. "Anyway...we want some privacy for once."

Emmett grimaced. "I don't know why you're bothering; you should get sound-proofing for your room, though."

I studied my plate intently, my neck and my ears beginning to burn along with my face.

"I'm not going to come to any harm; it's not as if we plan to visit anyone."

"Hm. Fine. Have fun."

Emmett and Zara quickly left us alone and Edward sat down opposite me, grinning, his golden eyes twinkling.

"You are so red."

"Is it any wonder? I thought you were shy?"

"Needs must. Hurry up, let's go before the others get back."

"They'll have plenty to say later," I said, shovelling a huge forkful of eggs into my mouth.

"It'll be too late then. I'm going to get the car out. I'll bring it around to the front steps so you won't have far to go, ok?"

In a flash, he was gone, and I continued wolfing my food, then grabbed both crutches and swung my way down the hall to the front door. I felt like a naughty schoolboy sneaking out for an adventure and my heart pounded as I headed outside, finding the Neptune at the foot of the steps, its engine growling and the passenger door open for me. Edward took my crutches and helped me into the low seat, then stowed the crutches in the gap behind the seats. In seconds he was behind the wheel, his foot tapping experimentally on the gas pedal and making the car snarl impatiently.

"Be careful!" Emmett bellowed suddenly from the top of the steps and then we were heading down the long driveway with a screech of tyres, Edward laughing delightedly.

"Did you bring the keys?" I asked suddenly.

"Of course, they're in my pocket. Put your seatbelt on."

I repeatedly had to remind Edward to slow down on the journey to PA. His foot was heavier than it had been when he was human and I dreaded being pulled over by the cops, having a person getting too close to him for comfort. However, we reached our house without mishap and parked on the driveway an hour later and Edward sprang out, then visibly curbed himself as he walked around to my side to help me out. The smile hadn't left his face since we set off and now my own excitement rose as I followed him to the door and waited for him to unlock it.

"I can't believe we're really here; our own home," he said in wonder. "I can't wait until we can move in."

"We'll be able to, soon enough."

I glanced around me, relieved to see that no one else was in sight. A car drove past, but that was all. We proceeded into the house and closed the door, then made our way slowly around the first floor, mentally positioning Edward's piano in one room, perhaps a table and chairs in the corner, a large couch in the other main room with several chairs for guests and a thick rug in the middle of the floor. I left my crutches in the hallway and Edward carried me up the stairs to the master bedroom. We would be able to move right in without having to worry about buying anything for this room. It was fitted with cupboards, wardrobes and drawer space and only needed our bed to be added. A thick-piled carpet covered the floor and the view of the distant sea from the window could still be seen from where the bed would be if we left the drapes open.

"I can't wait to move in!" I exclaimed. I was leaning on the wall beside the window and I reached out towards Edward, grasping his hand and pulling him close. He placed his feet either side of mine and leaned against me, arms sliding around my neck.

"I want that more than anything. At least we can come here sometimes now." A smirk pulled his lips up at one corner. "Maybe we ought to get a new bed after all so we have one here."

"I don't know, the carpet looks pretty soft."

I folded my arms around his waist and caressed his lips with mine. His response immediately had me wanting more and I thrust my tongue into his mouth, gripping him tighter and shivering as a hand slid into the neck of my shirt. I lowered one hand to his butt and squeezed the hard flesh through his pants, making him moan into my mouth and press himself even closer, his erection quickly growing and nudging my own. I attempted to push him away a little, but he was immovable, grinding himself urgently against me until he picked up my thoughts - that I would be more comfortable sitting down with less pressure on my leg. He stepped back immediately, lowered me to the carpet, which was indeed as soft as it looked, and then kneeled down astride me, his butt resting on my thighs.

"Remember the first time we ever touched each other in college?" I panted.

"Yeah, it was just like this. I was so scared; I wanted you so much and I was worried you wouldn't really want me physically. I'd already had years to know I liked boys, but it was all new to you."

"Tell me what you were thinking," I said, fumbling with his shirt buttons in an effort to rid him of some of his clothes. He pushed my hands off and in a few seconds had his shirt off and mine undone.

"I knew I was going to come ridiculously fast, probably as soon as you touched me. My mind was running away with me. I thought about sucking you, how it might feel if you did that to me, although I worried you wouldn't want to. I wanted you to fuck me..."

I groaned, realising that he already had my pants and his own undone and was rubbing his icy cock against mine, making me shudder and tremble.

"Jesus, Edward. What happened to you the last few days?"

He laughed softly. "You made it possible for me to enjoy this again."

"Read my mind...while you do that..." I panted, dropping my eyes to watch his two hands working us together, my shaft caramel coloured, the head purple, his white and pink.

I imagined us naked, sitting in the exact same spot on the floor, Edward coating my cock in lube, making it glisten, my heat throbbing in his cold hand. He rose on his knees and I held myself upright while he manoeuvred himself, guiding my tip into his tight hole. He sank down slowly, enveloping my heat in his coldness until I was as deep as I could go, filling him.

"Fuck!" he hissed, his hands moving faster.

In my mind he began to ride me, slowly at first, keeping as relaxed as he could manage so as not to crush me, my hand jerking him off at the same time, both of us gradually increasing speed until he was slamming himself onto me, driving us both rapidly into orgasm. We came hard, both in my head and in reality and Edward let out what could only be classed as a vampiric scream as he shot his load onto my chest along with my own. I lifted my hands from his thighs and hugged him against me, gasping for breath and feeling his chest moving rapidly as he gasped and panted needlessly.

"God, I want you so much," I groaned. "You feel so good."

"I'll try, I promise." He drew away from me quickly and stood up. "I'll find something to clean us up."

I sat there, weak and breathless until he returned with a toilet roll which had been conveniently left in the bathroom and wiped us as best he could. His eyes were still black, I noted and his hands shook slightly as he put his shirt back on.

"Edward..." I struggled to my feet, clutching my cargo shorts as they threatened to fall down and quickly fastened them. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." He swallowed and glanced out of the window.

"You're thirsty."

"I'm alright. All this new activity...it's taking a lot of energy." He smiled weakly and tucked his shirt into his pants.

"Let's get out of here," I said at once. "Maybe it's still too much."

"I'm ok, really, I should probably feed even more though, next time."

He gathered me up quickly and in a second we were downstairs by the front door. He set me down and I grabbed my crutches, stepping back as he pulled the door open. At the end of the short driveway, a young couple were walking by on the sidewalk holding hands, the woman carrying a baby in a harness against her breasts. I glanced anxiously at Edward as he froze in the doorway, nostrils flaring, one hand clutching his throat. Then he moved back rapidly and slammed the door closed, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists, his black eyes wide with fear and thirst.

"Fuck," he muttered. "I'm sorry, Jacob. The others were right. I'm not ready for this after all."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

It was instinct for me to move closer to Edward and touch him, hold him, but instead I backed away, knowing I was only going to make it more difficult for him. His jaw twitched as he clenched his teeth harder and he dragged a hand through his hair.

"I can smell you," he moaned.

"Stop breathing. You'll be ok," I said firmly. A prickle of fear made its way down my spine and I shook it off determinedly. "It was worse than this for you the first time I came to you, when you were starving. You have more self-control than any of the others expected. Go into one of the other rooms while I check outside. Then when no one else is around, we'll get in the car."

Edward blurred through the doorway into the kitchen in a second.

"You'll have to leave me here, Jacob," he called back doubtfully.

"Baby, I can't drive and I'm not letting you go on your own. We only have to get out of town and past the first village and there's forest. Ten, fifteen minutes and you can hunt while I wait in the car."

"I can't just leave you at the side of the road!" Edward exclaimed in horror. "I could be hours! Just...go outside, get in the car and call home; get one of them to bring me something. They'll probably lock me up and throw away the key, but...I shouldn't have come here, putting you at risk like this when I'm not ready; putting everyone out there at risk too."

"Don't doubt yourself," I said firmly. "I _know_ you. You're stronger than you think you are and you're right; the others will go mad if they have to come out here to help us, so let's fix it and get home." I opened the door and looked out, catching sight of a man walking his dog on the opposite side of the street. I closed the door again and leaned on it.

"Jacob, I could hurt you," Edward protested from the kitchen. "That first day I was weak; you could have fought me off and all the others were there to protect you."

"I trust you," I said.

"You shouldn't."

I opened the door again a minute later and looked both ways; no one was in sight and I pulled the door wider, lurched outside onto the step and moved to one side.

"Edward! It's clear, come on out."

He hesitated for a moment and then rushed past me to the car.

"You'll need to lock the door," I reminded him, pulling it closed. I swung myself up the driveway to the passenger door of the car and waited while he fumbled the key into the lock, turned it and then moved to the car again.

"God, I'm so sorry about this, so sorry," he muttered, pulling the driver's side door open.

"Don't talk; you'll breathe without meaning to," I said. "You'll be ok, I know you will." I opened my door and shoved my crutches awkwardly behind my seat before I fell into it. "Go. Let's get out of here."

The Neptune's engine roared and the car catapulted backwards off the driveway into the street, almost colliding with a small van coming from the left which swerved and honked angrily. Edward grimaced and turned the wheel, gripping so tight that his knuckles would have been white if he had any colour in him. He drove as fast as he dare and it was only a few minutes before we were leaving PA behind and heading back towards Forks.

"Ok?" I asked briefly, glancing at him as he hunched over the wheel, his body shivering slightly. He gave a half nod and pressed the gas pedal a little more, allowing the needle on the speedo to creep up towards a hundred.

"Edward...slow down a little, if we get pulled over..." I worried.

"I need to get us home."

He breathed in as he spoke and gulped, turning his black eyes from the road to me for a second. He looked almost feral and I found myself swallowing nervously.

"I'm sorry...I won't hurt you..." he said through his teeth.

"Babe, stop talking, you're making it worse."

I looked around us, noting the distant forest gradually creeping closer to the highway, the route ahead edged with a wide shoulder. Edward whimpered and bit into his lip so hard that the slightly softer flesh split. He licked it repeatedly until it began to close up again and gradually his foot eased up on the gas. The car shuddered slightly in response to his shaking hands on the wheel and I took another look around.

"Pull over," I said. "About half a mile ahead the trees are close enough for you to get there in a few seconds."

"I can't leave you at the roadside," he gasped.

"I'll be fine. Come on, slow down. It's still forty-five minutes until we get home and you know you don't want to show up there like this."

The steering wheel creaked under the pressure of his grip and I wouldn't have been at all surprised to see it break altogether, but he lifted his foot more, letting the speed reduce dramatically. The vehicle began to drift to the right, half on the shoulder, swerving a little as the wheels spun in the loose gravel and then suddenly Edward braked hard, skidding to a halt a few feet from the blacktop.

"Just go," I said urgently. "Don't worry about me; I'll be fine. As long as it takes."

Edward was out of the car and disappearing into the trees five hundred yards away almost before I could blink and I heaved a sigh of relief, slumping back into the seat, my heart pounding. I knew he was going to be completely mortified when he returned and I was annoyed with myself for letting even a tiny amount of fear show. He had picked up on it easily and would feel even worse about it; I only hoped this wasn't going to be a big set-back for him when up to now things had been going so well.

I selected some music to listen to while I waited and opened up the glovebox to see if there was anything in there of interest to read to pass the time. I found a service book for the Neptune and surprisingly, a bottle of cherry coke which Edward had apparently put there for me in case I should need a drink. I opened it gratefully and took a few mouthfuls, then tried to relax while I waited for him, hoping that he wouldn't have to travel too far to find prey.

An hour passed and then another. My stomach had begun to rumble with hunger and I had finished the cherry coke. There was still no sign of Edward and I hauled myself out of the car and hobbled to a nearby clump of bushes, shielding myself from the highway while I emptied my bladder and gazed around in the hopes that I might see my vampire returning. I knew he had his phone with him and so did I, but I wasn't going to call and potentially frighten away an animal he was after, or simply worry him if he had to travel further than he expected.

I got back into the car again and closed my eyes, trying to stay calm, but no longer able to quell my anxiety. The Cullens would probably all be worrying about us by now and may even be heading out to search for us. They were going to be furious with Edward, but nowhere near as furious as he would be with himself. In addition, I feared for Edward himself, out there alone, desperately thirsty, perhaps searching in vain for something to feed from while he began to weaken. I silently cursed my dormant genes, wishing for the hundredth time that my long lost wolf could have emerged. If I could phase, not only would my leg have healed within hours, but I would have been stronger for Edward and right now, when he really needed someone, I could have hunted with him.

My eyes flew open with a start as I heard a tap on the window and I quickly turned the music off, realising it had drowned out the sound of the cop car pulling up behind the Neptune. The officer was staring through the glass at me with concern and I suppressed a groan as I opened the window. What the hell could I say?

"Afternoon, officer."

"Afternoon. What's the problem here? I passed by maybe thirty minutes ago and saw you parked up here. You must be aware parking for any length of time on the shoulder here is illegal."

"I'm sorry, officer. We...uh...we ran out of gas," I said quickly. "The driver headed back towards PA to get some."

"So you're not alone? You didn't just stop and decide to take a nap?"

"No. I can't drive, my leg's in plaster." I pulled my knee up so he could see the colourfully decorated cast on my lower leg.

"What's your name?"

"Jacob Black, Sir."

"ID?"

I pulled out my wallet and showed him my licence, hoping he wasn't going to hang around too long. If Edward was on his way back, he wouldn't approach the car until the cop left.

"Who's the driver?"

"Edward Cullen. My husband."

"Hmm." He raised one eyebrow slightly. "And he headed back towards PA, you say? On foot?"

"Yes, although he was hoping to hitch a ride to the gas station and back."

"How long ago did he leave?"

"About an hour," I lied.

"Does he have a phone?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Perhaps you could call, find out where he is. I'll have to stay here for the moment."

_'Fuck,' _I thought. If the cop insisted on staying with me, he would have a long wait for Edward to appear along the road with a can of gas. I pulled out my phone and selected his number, hoping I wasn't about to ruin things for him, but he answered immediately and I could hear a rush of wind as if he were moving at speed.

"Jacob, I'm sorry I've been so long, I'm on my way back now, I'll be around ten minutes."

"It's alright," I said. "I wondered if you managed to get a ride to the gas station."

"What? Is someone there with you?"

"Yes, a police officer stopped to check I'm ok."

"I'm sorry," Edward repeated. "Can you get rid of him? Tell him I'm hitching back or something?"

"Yes, I will do. See you soon."

I hung up and looked at the cop again. "He's on his way back, he got a ride. He'll be here in a few minutes," I said. "There's no need for you to wait with me really."

"Well...by rights I should wait, but I was on my way to a call in PA." He rubbed his chin and then took a step back. "I'll take care of this job and then I'll be heading back this way again. If you're still here..."

"I won't be," I assured him.

I was relieved when he finally returned to his car and drove off, performing a u-turn and heading back towards PA. I immediately turned to look at the forest, watching for any sign of Edward and eventually I spotted him just a hundred yards away as he slowed to a regular jogging pace in case anyone should be passing on the highway. In another minute he was in the car, his eyes still black although he seemed better.

"God, Jacob, I'm so sorry," he groaned. "I shouldn't have put you in this position. I should have listened to the others. I could have hurt you."

"Well, you didn't, you stayed strong." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it firmly. "You're still thirsty, are you ok?"

"I couldn't find a damned thing, I must have gone a hundred miles. Had to make do with...a couple of rabbits." He grimaced and tugged his free hand through his hair. "Don't worry, I'll be ok for a while." He pulled his hand free of mine and started the engine. "I feel like I took a gigantic step backwards."

"No, you didn't, you just found your limit for the moment."

"I went way past it and I scared you. Don't try to say I didn't; I could feel it and I'm sick with myself over it."

"Edward, I felt nervous, but I'm ok," I said firmly. "It's still only been a few months. You're doing amazingly well; so much better than anyone expected."

"Today isn't exactly proof of that," he grumbled.

"Isn't it? You were at the point where you feared you were a danger to me; you certainly would have been a risk to those people in PA, but you didn't go after them, did you? You didn't touch me? As hard as it was for you, you controlled yourself and I'm proud of you. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"I don't deserve you." Edward sighed heavily and took one hand off the wheel, reaching out to take my hand again. "Ever since that first day you came to me, you've never had one single doubt, have you? Even today when I freaked you out, you still trusted me; you were still positive I'd be ok."

"You are ok," I smiled. "Look at it as a kind of test. You know how far you can go before it becomes difficult. Next time we take a trip to the house, hunt right before and we'll take supplies with us so you won't have to be in this position again."

"You actually want to risk going there with me again after today?"

"You mean...do I want to go to our home with you? Have our own space to be with you? Touch each other the way we did, or maybe more?" I smirked. "Hell, yes. So long as we go prepared for a horny vampire getting thirsty quicker."

Edward smiled at last. "Assuming Carlisle ever lets me out of the house again when he finds out about this."

"We don't have to tell him."

"Yeah, we do. It'll be in your mind, what happened and Zara will pick it up. I fucked up, I'm just going to have to tell them that."

"You didn't fuck up, just miscalculated a little," I corrected. "It's bound to happen occasionally."

"I love you." Edward shot me another smile. "Where would I be without you, huh?"

"You're never going to find out," I said.

"Not yet."

The rest of the journey passed without mishap, but by the time we reached the house, all of the Cullens, including Carlisle who had been called home from the hospital, were waiting for us.

"Where the hell have you been?" demanded Jasper from the porch before Edward had even helped me out of the car. "We were about to go out searching for you! You don't seem to realise how dangerous this is, Edward!"

"Alright, Jasper, that'll do," Carlisle said coolly. "Let's all go inside and sit down, shall we?"

"I'm fine," Edward told him as he assisted me up the steps. "Nothing happened."

Zara's eyes shot from Edward to me and back again and she bit her lip, but didn't say anything.

"You're thirsty, Edward," Carlisle observed. "Get something from the surgery."

Edward vanished without a word and I accompanied the others into the main lounge and sank onto one of the couches, my stomach rumbling loudly.

"Sorry, I'm starving," I grimaced.

"I'll get you a snack." Charlotte headed for the kitchen quickly and I glanced around the other vampires, who were looking worried rather than pissed.

"It was my idea, not Edward's," I said. "I wanted us to see our house. I didn't voice it, but he picked my thoughts up. He's been doing so well lately and we thought it would be ok to go there for a while."

"You were gone hours," Esme sighed. "When Emmett told us you'd gone out in the car, we didn't know what to think. It's far too soon for Edward to be anywhere near a populated area."

"I was fine." Edward spoke from the doorway and then quickly came to sit beside me. "Well, not fine exactly. I...miscalculated, but I didn't put anyone in danger." He eyed Zara at this point and it was clear he was asking her not to speak up. She shook her head slightly and looked at Emmett, raising her eyebrows, then turned back to face the rest of us.

"That's not quite true, Edward; why don't you tell them what really happened? I'm sorry, but staying quiet isn't helping you in the long run."

Carlisle's brow wrinkled and he turned his gaze on Edward again.

"Like I said, I miscalculated," my vampire repeated. "I got thirsty, much faster than I expected. We were at the house and when we opened the door there were some people in the street; I could smell them..."

Esme and Jasper both gasped at this point. Charlotte appeared with a plate of sandwiches and placed it on the table in front of me, but I ignored it for the present.

"I closed the door again and kept my distance from Jacob until the street was clear, then we left," Edward went on. "We stopped twenty minutes out of PA so I could hunt."

"He was in control the whole time," I averred. "Shaky, but ok."

"I wouldn't have hurt Jacob, or the other people. I did learn I have limits, though." Edward leaned back with a heavy sigh. "Go on, say what you have to say. I over-estimate myself; I could have killed someone; it won't happen again because I'll be incarcerated for the next..."

"Edward, no one's going to lock you up," Jasper said. "Remember after Alice died and I went crazy for a while and changed Alexa? Esme took us to Alaska to keep us away from humans until we were ready."

"What are you saying? You're going to exile me to Prudhoe Bay for the duration?" Edward jerked upright again. "I'd rather you did lock me up; at least I'd still be here!"

I reached for his hand and gripped it firmly. "You're not seriously suggesting taking him away, are you?" I directed at Carlisle.

"No, of course not," the doctor said at once. "But you do need to realise that we can't have Edward roaming about putting people at risk until he is in _complete_ control. That means you won't be going anywhere without at least one of us present, Edward, and certainly not into a city."

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry I had you all worried," Edward said more meekly. "I guess I'm just impatient to get back to a normal life."

"It'll never be normal," Emmett put in.

"You know what I mean. Jacob and I want to be able to move into our house; I want to be able to work. I suppose I worry time will slip away from me. I know it's only been a few months, but every month that passes is one more where things are on hold..."

"Ed, you'll be around for hundreds of years, you'll have _too much_ time," Emmett grinned.

"Not with Jacob. I just want to make the most of every minute we have. I guess I can do that without having to go to our house though."

_'We could always soundproof our room like Emmett suggested,' _I thought.

Edward's lips twitched and Zara lowered her head.

"Guys, I'm sorry," Edward continued. "I'm sorry I worried you all. I guess I went from having no confidence at all to having too much."

"It's easily done," Jasper nodded.

"It's alright, Edward, no harm has been done," Carlisle said quietly. "Give it a little more time. We'd all like to see your new home some time soon."

"As soon as you think I'm ready to be let loose," Edward smiled. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a shower."

He disappeared from the room quickly and Carlisle got to his feet.

"Are you alright, Jacob?" he asked. "Really?"

"Absolutely fine," I said with conviction. "Edward's doing a lot better than you probably think. As I said to him, he's stronger than he gives himself credit for. I don't mean to sound like I know better than you, but I was there - I could see how hard it was for him, but he just...kept himself in check."

"Well, we'll see; maybe a couple more weeks and we can all go somewhere and see how he handles things. I really need to get back to the hospital now."

He excused himself and the other vampires quickly dispersed, leaving only Zara behind. I picked up the plate of sandwiches quickly and took a huge bite.

"You know what I said to you when we talked before?" she asked.

I nodded and swallowed quickly. "Sorry, I'm starving."

"It's ok, carry on. Before, Edward was still thinking so negatively, but that's not the case any more. I just thought you might want to know that his thoughts are pretty much the same as what comes out of his mouth. I don't often pry, but occasionally I take a peek and he really does want to have a future with you and make it work."

"Thanks." I gulped another mouthful. "Obviously I can't read his mind, but I can see what's in his eyes; the way he behaves. I know we're going to be ok."

I didn't get any time alone with Edward for the rest of the day. When I went upstairs to make use of the shower myself, he wasn't in our room but I could hear his voice and Jasper's coming from the room Jasper and Charlotte shared, so I didn't interrupt. I languished under the hot water, going over the day's events in my head, in particular the time we shared in our house, Edward sitting on my lap and rubbing us both together, my imagination exciting him just as much as our kissing and touching. It seemed that any attempts to take things further were going to have to wait a while longer now and as desperate as I was to fuck him or have him fuck me, at least we could satisfy each other in different ways in the meantime.

When I finished the shower, I pulled on some cargo shorts and sprawled on the bed watching television, guessing Edward would come to find me when he was done talking. Esme brought me some hot food later and stayed to talk to me while I ate, clearly wanting to check how I was.

"You seem to be handling all of this so well," she commented.

"I love Edward," I said simply. "He needs me right now and it's not as if I never had to deal with this before. I mean, obviously he wasn't a newborn then, but I seem to be able to tell how he feels at any given time..."

"I'm glad you found each other again," Esme smiled. "However it happened, it was obviously intended. No one could have predicted he would become one of us for a second time, but you're a big help to him, Jacob."

It was late by the time Edward came into the room, his golden eyes glowing. I had let the room darken as dusk fell, leaving the lights off, but it remained lit by the TV screen. He closed the door and stretched out on the bed next to me, nestling close to my side.

"Sorry I deserted you. I just wanted to talk about everything with one of them. Jasper's a bit of a worrywart, but he doesn't turn everything into a joke like Emmett."

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Yes, don't worry, I didn't regress or anything. It was just too much too soon. I didn't think things through properly. We're just going to have to try to be a bit quieter for a while."

I turned towards him with a grin. "I better get used to a red face for a bit longer then."

"Not too long. I'll just make sure I progress well enough that Carlisle will want to 'sign me off' so we can do what we want."

I slid my arms around him and tugged him closer, sliding my hand under the back of his shirt to feel his cold skin as we kissed. Despite what had happened that day he had taken another step forward; we were just going to have to be patient and hopefully by the time my cast was off, we would be able to move forward again.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

A few more weeks passed without any further developments, except for the fact that Edward took to hunting at least every eighteen hours, mostly in the day time so that he could spend every night with me. I rarely saw him thirsty, his eyes only turning black when we were together, kissing, touching, tasting each other. We were only left alone in the house on rare occasions, but we at least had the privacy of our room and were becoming a little better at smothering cries and groans with the pillows or each other.

My parents wanted me to spend Thanksgiving with them and as much as I wanted to be with Edward, I agreed since we still couldn't all be together. Jasper drove me to Neah Bay and left me there, telling me to call when I was ready to be collected and I spent a good part of the day with my family, occasionally fending off questions about why they couldn't see Edward yet. Dad spoke to me more seriously when my sisters were helping Mom with the dishes after the enormous meal we had all eaten.

"What's the problem with Edward?" he asked directly. "Other than the obvious."

"He's just...not ready to see people yet."

"Why? Explain to me, Jacob, because it seems that there's something you're not telling us. Does Edward think we won't want to see him like this?"

"No, it's not that," I sighed, wondering whether I should just tell him the truth. How would he feel knowing the real reason, when I was so close to Edward all the time?

"Then what?"

"He's just...um..."

I stopped as my phone beeped with a text message, pulling it out of my pocket quickly and using the distraction to give myself another moment to decide what to say. Edward will have a thirst for human blood until he can get it under control? That would go down well.

_'Jacob, ask one of your parents to drive you home when you're ready.' _The message was from Carlisle.

I gasped as I read the text over a second time and then heaved a sigh of relief. Now I wouldn't have to admit that there was a possible danger in him being around humans. My pulse quickened in excitement and I wondered if the Cullens had only just decided this, or if they had been planning it and decided to keep it as a surprise.

"What is it?" Dad asked.

"Uh...well...like I said before, Edward just wasn't ready to see anybody, but he's ok now. I was going to ask you or Mom to drive me home later so you can see him."

"We could all go in the car," said Dad at once. "There's room..."

"Only just and it's kind of cramped for my leg," I said quickly. Carlisle clearly hadn't meant that I should turn up with the whole family and perhaps four people at once was too much. "You drive me, Dad, and maybe you can all come over to visit another day, or we can come here together."

"Your sisters will be disappointed."

"I know, but it won't be for much longer. Carlisle's hoping to get my plaster off for Christmas too. I'm going to have to have another operation to take the pins out of my leg, so I won't be able to walk on it for a while still, but at least I can get rid of this stupid thing."

I indicated the cast, relieved when Dad changed the subject from Edward to my upcoming operation. I wasn't looking forward to it one bit, knowing I would be in for more discomfort and a healing wound afterwards, but at least it was another step closer to being properly on my feet again. I sent Carlisle a brief message back, telling him Dad would drive me home and then I spent the rest of the afternoon with everyone, trying to relax while internally I was both eager and nervous about what was coming.

We left at five o'clock, Mom giving me a package of leftover roast turkey and pumpkin pie to take back with me and my sisters begging to be allowed to come with us so that they could see Edward.

"Next time, I promise," I said, hoping that would be the case.

I sent Carlisle a text as we set off to let him know we were on our way and then I sat impatiently counting off the miles as we headed towards Forks, praying that Edward would be ok. If anything went wrong, Dad would worry about me being there in the future, but then again Carlisle wouldn't have suggested him driving me back if he thought there was much of a risk.

When we arrived I slid carefully out of the truck while Dad grabbed my crutches from the back and by the time I was moving, Esme had opened the door and was waiting to greet us. She shook Dad's hand and leaned closer to give him a light kiss on the cheek. I swung myself slowly up the steps and into the house, my heart racing.

"Where are they all?" I asked.

"Rear lounge," Esme answered and I led the way.

The whole family were there, Edward sitting on the love-seat by the window, fidgeting and looking somewhat nervous. He tugged a hand through his hair and then got up to come to me while Carlisle went to shake hands with Dad.

"Are you ok?" I whispered in his ear as he slid one hand around my neck and leaned in to kiss my cheek.

"Yes." He drew away from me and I hovered there on my crutches as he took a step towards Dad and then another.

"Edward! At last! About time we got to see you again, son!" Dad exclaimed loudly.

"Hello, Tom."

Edward smiled a little awkwardly and extended his hand to shake. Dad of course, ignored it and grabbed him in a bear hug instead, bringing Edward's face to within inches of his neck. I forgot to breathe as I watched my vampire's nostrils flare and his hands clench into fists behind Dad's back, but then he was stepping away, smiling, golden eyes glowing and I could almost hear the collective sigh of relief from everyone else. It was only now that I realised Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett were all poised a couple of steps from Edward and Carlisle backed away and sat down while the other two greeted Dad. I discarded one crutch and grasped Edward's hand, going to sit with him on the love seat.

"Ok?" I whispered again.

"I'm fine, Jacob, don't worry," he responded quietly.

"How long have you been planning this?"

"All week. Carlisle suggested we give it a try last week, but I thought Thanksgiving would be...I don't know, just a nice surprise for you."

"You've all been in on it?"

"Yes, I'm actually impressed Emmett didn't give it away, he's been like a kid at Christmas. Stupid really, it's not that big a deal."

"It _is _a big deal, Edward, you're amazing," I said firmly. "It's only been three months."

"Hey, you two, you can whisper together when I'm gone," Dad said suddenly.

He took a seat next to Zara and Charlotte brought him a cup of coffee. He stayed for maybe an hour before he decided he should get home and then gave both Edward and me a hug before Esme showed him out. Edward was clearly more relaxed this time as if he'd been expecting Dad to grab him and the minute I heard Dad's truck firing up, I turned to him.

"Are you still ok?"

"Stop worrying, Jacob, I'm fine, I promise," he smiled. "I hunted while you were with your family. It wasn't so bad. When he first hugged me I wasn't expecting it; I should have, I suppose, your Dad always hugs me, but after that...it's fine."

"Does this mean you'll be able to visit my family?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, as long as it's just for a short time at first. We can go back to our house again too." He smirked and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure they'll let us go there alone yet, but you never know. You are awfully loud, Jacob, even with a mouthful of pillow."

"Sshh!" I hissed, feeling my face warming. "Just you wait; we'll see how quiet you can be when I get my hands on you later."

"What are you two whispering about?" Emmett asked suddenly.

"You don't want to know," Zara said, rolling her eyes slightly.

My face burned hotter and I lowered my eyes with a grimace.

"The sooner we can be at our own place, the better," I muttered.

I finished off the turkey in sandwiches later, followed by a piece of the pie and then relaxed in the music room listening to Edward play the piano for a while. He skipped from one lively piece to another, clearly in high spirits and I couldn't keep the grin off of my face as I watched him. He had gotten over one of the hardest hurdles he would have to face and at last we could properly start to look forward to a slightly more normal future.

We retired early after Carlisle left to go to the hospital and the female vampires went hunting, leaving only Emmett and Jasper watching a movie. I closed the bedroom door and leaned my crutches against the wall in the corner, surprised when Edward stripped off his clothes within a few seconds, tossing the items one after another onto the chair until he was naked in front of me.

"Hell, you're in a hurry," I grinned.

"I want to take a shower."

"Damn."

"You can share it?"

"Hmm...tempting," I mused. "If only I could undress at that speed."

"I could undress you at that speed," my vampire smirked.

"No, you can stand there and watch." I rested my back against the door to balance myself and unfastened one shirt button. "Think I can get all of these things off without you getting hard?"

"Not a chance. You're going to tease me now, aren't you?"

"To start with."

I remembered how we had often tormented each other with slow strips, both the first time around and when we were in college and now it seemed no different. I unfastened another button and continued slowly, letting the fronts of the shirt part gradually to reveal my chest. Edward lay down on the bed and watched, his head propped up on his hand, his cock filling rapidly as I shrugged the shirt off.

"That didn't take long," I commented.

"I can't help it, you're fucking sexy when you undress like that," Edward sighed.

I bent to remove shoes and socks and then straightened again and began unfastening my cargo shorts. The sight of Edward naked and aroused was making me hard too and by the time I let the pants slip down my legs, my erection was pushing against my underwear. Edward groaned and licked his lips, his hand drifting down his body to stroke himself.

"Hey, no touching," I protesting. "You wanted a shower first."

"Maybe I changed my mind."

"Too bad."

He removed his hand reluctantly and I stared unashamedly at the pale organ straining upwards from his neatly trimmed pubic hair. The pink head was quivering and leaking onto the comforter and he fidgeted uncomfortably as I rubbed myself lightly through my shorts, a damp patch quickly forming on the grey fabric.

"Oh, God, please," Edward moaned.

"Please what? Want to see more?" I lowered the shorts a couple inches, letting the head of my cock peek out over the waistband.

"Fuck," he muttered, his hand sliding lower to touch himself again. "I'm aching."

"Wouldn't you rather have my hot mouth around that?" I smirked.

"Hell..."

"Or have my hands on you...rubbing this..." I gave myself a squeeze. "...against you?"

A groan of frustration from Edward.

"Then take your hands off."

"You are a fucking tease!" he growled, clenching his fist on the mattress.

"That's one of the reasons you love me."

I hooked my thumbs into the waistband of the shorts and lowered them swiftly, my cock immediately bouncing against my belly. I was becoming too impatient myself to drag it out any longer and I shuffled around the bed towards the bathroom door. Edward was on his feet in a flash and in the shower stall before I reached the door, turning the water on as hot as it would go and quickly stepping under it. I paused to pull on the plastic sleeve over my cast and then joined him, resting my back against the tiles and drawing him against me. I shivered as I felt the contrast of his cold body and the hot water, his cock nudging mine impatiently as he gyrated his hips, trying to gain friction between us.

"God, I need to come so badly," he groaned.

I slid my arms around him, lowering my hands to his butt and pulling him tighter against me.

"You are so hot when you talk like that," I grinned.

His hands were gripping the back of my neck, his mouth pressing teasing little cold kisses along my jaw towards my ear. He moved slightly, spreading his legs further apart and resting his feet either side of mine.

"Touch me...please..." he purred into my ear.

"Read my mind."

I pushed him back just enough to get my hand between us, grasping both of our cocks together and rubbing them against each other. I caressed his butt with the other hand, letting the tips of my fingers slide into his crack. In my head I imagined us on the bed together, me kneeling between Edward's spread legs, drawing his cock into my mouth while I gently pushed a lubricated finger up into him. He moaned into my ear, his body trembling against me.

In my thoughts I added a second finger, dropping my head lower until his cock was pushing into my throat, curling my fingers upwards to search for his prostate, my free hand caressing and squeezing his balls, pushing him towards orgasm.

"Please..." he moaned above the sound of the water, thrusting himself urgently into my hand. I let my finger tips stroke over his hole and continue lower, pressing firmly against his perineum, my other hand quickening its pace as my own balls tightened, my cock pulsing eagerly.

"God, I need you to fuck me!" Edward panted. "Make me come..."

Remembering how difficult it was to hurt him now, I moved my fingers upwards to search for his hole again, pressing the tip of one finger against the puckered flesh until it slid in to the first knuckle.

"Stay relaxed," I warned, slightly wary that a sudden tightening could easily break the digit. This was precisely why we hadn't tried to have sex yet after all.

"Mmm...more...please..." he whined.

I thrust my finger deeper, as far in as I could reach, shuddering at the cold tightness gripping me, marvelling at the feel of him...smoother, softer than I imagined...or remembered. Slowly I began to fuck him with my finger, jabbing randomly at his prostate while I jerked both of us off with the other hand, trying not to grimace as Edward's nails dug harder into my shoulders, his groans and exclamations quickly growing in volume.

"Christ...fuck...Jacob, I'm gonna come!" he cried.

He clenched around me, mercifully not hard enough to crush me as his cold fluid shot from him into my hand and over my cock a few seconds before I came. He leaned harder against me, shuddering and gasping as I painted his belly with my own load and slowly withdrew my finger, rinsing my hands under the shower before I rested my arms around him again. He drew his head back and met my eyes, his shiny black, his chest rising and falling rapidly and needlessly.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No." I tugged him closer again and caressed his cool lips with mine, breathing through my nose. I was still hard and all I could think about was how good it would feel to thrust myself into his cold, tight tunnel. I broke the kiss and met his eyes again. "Will you let me?"

"I don't know..."

"It'll be fine, if you can stay relaxed enough."

"God, I want to."

"Then let's try."

He nodded slowly and backed away from me, grabbing a bottle of shower gel to give both of us a quick wash first. I pushed myself away from the tiles and stood still as he soaped me and then himself at top speed before unhooking the showerhead to rinse away the bubbles. We towelled ourselves dry quickly, Edward rather more rapidly than me and by the time I had hobbled back into the bedroom he had closed the drapes and was lying on the bed waiting for me. Suddenly I was nervous, concerned about what might go wrong, as well as over-excited at the thought of being able to do this again. More than three months and it had seemed that we probably wouldn't be able to do it unless somehow I was able to phase.

"Don't be," Edward said softly as I lowered myself onto the mattress next to him.

"Don't be what?"

"Nervous. I can control myself enough."

"Not too long ago it was me telling you it would be ok," I said with a grin.

"It will be ok. I'll make it ok; I want it too badly to wait any more."

He moved closer to me, a cool hand cupping my cheek as his lips touched mine, softly at first and then more firmly, his tongue seeking access to my mouth and toying with mine as I granted it. I groaned into his mouth, my erection, which had subsided somewhat, quickly growing again and pushing against his thigh. His other hand curled around it, stroking gently, teasing me as we kissed.

_'I love you so much,' _I thought. _'Want you so much.'_

"Mmm," he responded, the sound smothered by my tongue. He drew back reluctantly, eyelids rising slowly to reveal his black eyes. "I love you too."

I pushed him down onto his back and leaned over him, reaching out to open the drawer in his bed table to retrieve the lube. We had used it a few times for jerking off, but nothing more. Now I coated my fingers, reaching down to prepare him as he parted his legs and pulled his knees up. I continued nibbling at his lips, grinding myself against his hip as I pushed one and then two fingers into him, able to slide them deep without hurting him, searching for his prostate again and grinning as he shuddered and moaned. I slowly added a third finger, wanting to make sure I stretched him enough, not to avoid hurting him, but to make sure he wasn't too tight for me. He slid a hand down his body, grasping his leaking cock and I watched eagerly as he pumped himself, his muscles tightening slightly, squeezing my fingers together.

"Not so hard."

"Sorry." He breathed out slowly and relaxed. "Don't worry, I won't do that when you're in me."

"Are you ready?" I was ready; my shaft was impossibly hard, veins standing out against the dark skin, the head swollen and leaking onto his pale skin.

"Tell me what you want," Edward breathed teasingly. He liked to hear dirty talk just as much as I did and I leaned closer and gently blew warm air into his ear.

"I want to fuck you. I want you to feel how hot I am, deep inside you; I want to come inside you..."

"God, please!" he cried.

He released himself and grabbed up the lube, squirting out a generous amount and coating me with it, the cool liquid and the even cooler feel of his hand sending chills from the back of my neck to the base of my spine. I pulled myself up onto my knees quickly and manoeuvred myself between his legs. With the cast only on the bottom half of my leg, I realised that it wouldn't really hamper me and I lowered myself over him, resting my weight on my knees and one elbow as I reached down to guide myself. Edward gasped as I pushed the blunt head of my cock against him, then breathed out slowly and relaxed. Gradually he opened up for me and the head slid in; then I halted, shuddering at the sensation of ice cold gripping my heat.

"Fuck," I hissed. "That feels so good."

Edward's hands slid around to my back and down to my butt, pulling me into him, an inch at a time until I was buried deep, my balls resting against his, my cock encased in slippery, cold tightness. I whimpered helplessly, wondering how I was actually going to fuck him for any length of time without disgracing myself in seconds.

"I'm not going to last long either," he whispered. "You're so hot...so hard...don't move for a minute." He wrapped both arms and legs around me, pressing as much of himself against me as he could, his mouth touching my neck, lips caressing the rapid pulse there. "I'm so close already, just from the feel of you inside me; from the thoughts in your head. I didn't think we'd be able to..."

His breath shuddered out of him and I raised my head more so I could look down into his eyes. Somehow I knew that if he was still human, there would have been tears in them and I felt my own begin to glisten. I held his gaze as he loosened his hold to let me move and I began to thrust shallowly, only a couple of inches each way, not wanting any part of me to lose contact with him. I could feel his cock almost painfully hard against my belly, the cold tip wet with pre-cum as it gained friction between us. I felt my balls tighten, heat coiling in the pit of my stomach and I withdrew a little more, thrusting my hips harder, watching Edward's head roll back, eyes half closing as my shaft bumped the small gland inside him.

"Oh...fuck...I'm coming..."

His hands gripped my back harder, his lower body rising to meet mine as I buried myself deep again, emptying myself with a yell as I felt him tightening, squeezing while he came onto us both. Suddenly it was painful and I hissed through my teeth, grimacing for the brief second before he breathed out again and relaxed his grip.

"God, Jacob, I'm sorry." His hands touched my face.

"It's alright," I panted, still breathless from the mind-blowing orgasm. I shifted my lower body slightly and let myself slip from him. "I'm ok, it was only a second."

"Fuck...what if...?"

I stopped him with my lips on his as I slowly let my weight sink onto him.

"It was fine," I repeated and then smirked. "Better than fine. It was fucking amazing."

"I can't argue with that." Edward grinned and rolled me off of him onto my side, pressing himself tight against me, arms around me and one leg in between mine. "I forgot how hot you feel when I'm...so cold. I can still feel it; your warmth inside me."

I grimaced and moved my leg. "Yeah, well my warmth is dribbling out of you onto my thigh."

Edward snorted with laughter and slid away from me, blurring into the bathroom to clean himself up and returning with a damp wash cloth for me. By the time he lay down with me again his eyes had returned to their rich gold colour and I was relieved that he wasn't going to need to leave me just yet.

"I'll slip out when you're asleep," he said. "I'll be back before you wake up."

We slid under the bed covers then, the cool November nights making me need the warmth, especially with Edward's cold body pressed up against me.

"We should get a heated blanket." He tucked the comforter around my ears and molded himself to me. "Or I'll wear really thick pyjamas so you can't feel the cold."

"You will not. It's the heated blanket or nothing," I murmured. "I don't want my husband anything other than naked in this bed."

"I'll ask one of the others to get one next time they're in Forks."

He gave me another small kiss and pressed his face into my neck and I closed my eyes, the two intense orgasms having exhausted me. Sleep quickly began to creep up on me and the last thing I heard before I drifted off was my vampire whispering into my ear than he loved me.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N As always, thank you to everyone who is reading the final part of the trilogy. A brief warning for this chapter - Jacob has the final operation on his leg so the more squeamish among you might want to skip the latter part of the chapter :o)**

CHAPTER TWELVE

I stirred in the early hours of the morning, disappointed to find myself alone, but I guessed Edward would be hunting. I drifted back into sleep and the next time I opened my eyes he was wrapped around me, his chest soaking up the warmth of my back and his hand cupping me, slowly palming my erection. He was as hard as I was, his cock nestling between my cheeks.

"Jeez, Edward," I groaned. "What are you doing to me?"

"I can't stop thinking about last night; I've been hard for hours."

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You need your sleep."

I pulled away from him and turned over, caressing his chest with one hand and planting a warm kiss on his lips.

"I'm awake now; I'm all yours."

"I was thinking about something you said when you were doing that damned teasing strip yesterday..."

"So you weren't thinking about me fucking you?" I smirked.

"That too." He grinned, flashing gleaming white teeth in the dim light. "I'm just...over the moon that we can do this again."

"So what were you thinking about?" I prompted.

"Your hot mouth."

"Let's share."

I kicked the covers off the bed and slid further down the matress, turning onto my back. I wanted to feel his mouth on me too and it was unnecessary for me to say anything. He saw the picture of us in my head and in a second his knees were spread wide either side of my shoulders, his balls brushing my nose and his erection hovering enticingly within reach of my tongue. I grasped it firmly and angled it between my lips, groaning around his shaft as I felt my own being drawn into his cold mouth. I reached out to grab the lube, squeezing a little onto my fingers before I pushed the bottle down to where his elbow rested next to me. I pushed one finger into him and then two, making him shudder, his groan vibrating around my cock as he sucked firmly.

_'Do this for me,'_ I thought, probing deeper into him.

"Mnh uh." He shook his head slightly.

_'Please. Just try. If you're careful it'll be ok.'_

I nudged his prostate and guided him deeper into my throat. His whole body trembled and his mouth stilled around me for a moment. Then he picked up the lube and coated his fingers in it. I moaned my approval, struggling to relax while I continued to work him with lips, tongue and fingers, shifting my legs apart and pulling the knees up a little to give him access. The tip of a cold digit circled my hole and I tightened from the sudden shock of it, quickly forcing myself to relax again as he applied slight pressure. It had been a long time for me and I was still a fragile human, slow to accept the invasion where it had been easy for him. I winced as a single digit penetrated me, but the coldness quickly soothed the slight burn and I hummed around him, my skin breaking out in goosebumps as I felt the chill inside me extend to the bottom of my spine and from there up to my shoulders.

_'Fuck!' _I would have yelled the word if I had been capable of uttering anything more than a groan and I struggled to concentrate on giving him pleasure as he licked and sucked, gently nibbled and explored me carefully, searching for the small gland inside of me which screamed when he touched it.

_'More!' _I silently begged, thanking God for his mind-reading ability, effectively gagged as I was by the cold organ thrusting into my throat.

Slowly a second finger began to push into me and I moaned with both discomfort from the burn as I stretched further and with pleasure from the feel of his mouth on me. I could tell that he was close, his balls tight against his body and the base of his cock swelling as I gripped it, his ass clenching and relaxing around my fingers as if he fought against tightening too much.

_'Come for me,' _I encouraged and almost at once he did so, his cold, sweet fluid mostly spilling straight down my throat, his body shaking above me and his mouth pulling off of me for a few seconds as he pressed his face into my groin instead to smother his cries. Then slowly he lifted himself away from me and turned around, positioning himself between my thighs instead as he took me back into his mouth, stroking and sucking as he continued thrusting his fingers into me. The discomfort had faded and all I could feel was cold wetness around my cock and his icy digits probing me, his free hand lightly squeezing my balls.

"God...Edward...fuck..." I panted, clutching handfuls of the sheet either side of me. I was teetering on the edge of orgasm, desperate to prolong it, but at the same time aching for release. His fingers prodded my prostate again and I lost control, my cock pulsing in his mouth and my yell echoing around the room. Edward raised his head slowly, letting me slip from his lips with an obscene slurping sound.

"You are so _loud._ They probably all heard you even if they're hunting fifty miles away."

"Shut up," I groaned, feeling my face redden. "It's your fault, you make it too good."

"Would you rather I kept my hands to myself?" He withdrew his fingers slowly and stretched out next to me.

"No, I'll just have to suffer the embarrassment of your family knowing how good you make me feel."

"I didn't hurt you, did I? I tried to be gentle."

"Only as much as our first time in college; I'm unused to it."

"Ok." He kissed my ear. "It might not be for too long anyway; the embarrassment of being overheard, I mean. I have another surprise for you."

"Oh?"

"We're going out later," he grinned. "To our house. I'm going to hunt with Emmett and Zara again just to be safe, then they're coming with us."

"Are you serious? When was this decided?"

"Yesterday. Carlisle figured if I can control myself with your Dad's neck three inches from my mouth, I'll be ok. I _will_ be ok anyway, I want this too much to let you down, or myself."

"You could never let me down," I said.

I got up quickly, eager to be ready whenever the others were. Again, Edward had surprised everybody by being ready to come into contact with people in only just over three months and I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I showered and dressed.

Edward went out with Emmett and Zara part way through the morning and I hobbled around impatiently waiting for them to come back, allowing myself to put weight on my leg as Carlisle had instructed a few days before. It was strong enough now for me to start working it, but it was wooden from lack of use and aching by the time I had made three or four circuits of the music room. At last the three vampires returned and I grabbed a small snack before we set off in Zara's car, Emmett driving. Edward and I sat in the back, his hand in mine, his thumb stroking over the rapid pulse in my wrist.

We reached PA in less than an hour, Emmett's foot heavier than Edward's on the gas. I was only surprised we hadn't been pulled over, but we parked up on the driveway of our house without incident and I limped to the door and unlocked it. Emmett and Zara looked around with us, admiring the view from the window of the main bedroom, Zara grinning when she clearly picked up my thoughts on what we had done in this room during our previous visit. Again I felt my face warming and I shrugged it off with a sigh. After so long living with two mind-readers, I needed to just get over it and accept that Zara didn't pry for long if she saw anything inappropriate.

Much to my surprise the pair left us alone for a while, saying they intended to spend some time looking around the stores in the city centre, Emmett grinning and saying pointedly that they would be a couple hours. We watched out of the window until the car had disappeared from view and then returned to the bedroom, unbuttoning shirts and pants on the way. I expected something similar to when we had been here before; kissing and touching, wishing we could do more, but Edward pulled the lube out of his coat pocket, grinning wickedly and we spent an hour on the soft bedroom carpet again, stroking and preparing, eventually making love with him sitting on my lap, knees either side of my hips, riding me vigorously until we came together with unrestrained shouts of pleasure.

By the time we had cleaned ourselves up and dressed, we still had some time before the other two vampires were due to return and Edward decided to test himself once again when we saw a car arrive at the next door property and a middle-aged couple climbed out.

"They must be our neighbours. Let's meet them." Edward pulled leather driving gloves out of his coat pockets and put them on quickly.

"Maybe we should wait until the others come back."

"I'm fine, I promise. Trust me." He pulled the door open and walked outside at normal speed, leaving me to follow. "Afternoon!" He approached the low fence separating the properties, beaming. The woman turned immediately to face us.

"Hello; are you the new neighbours? We wondered when someone was going to move in."

"Yes, I'm Edward Cullen." He extended his gloved hand over the fence and the woman shook it at once. "This is Jacob Black."

I hobbled forwards and by then, the man had approached too.

"Sarah and Peter Clements," the woman introduced as we each shook hands with her husband. "Are you two together, then?"

"Yes, we're married," Edward answered.

Sarah beamed while her husband raised an eyebrow, but coupled it with a smile.

"When do you expect to move in?" he asked.

"Probably not for a while yet, I'm hampered with this leg - can't drive yet," I told them. "We're staying with Edward's family in Forks for the moment."

"Hopefully we'll be here some time after Christmas," Edward added.

We stayed chatting with the couple for maybe ten minutes, both seeming keen to get to know us and several sideways glances at Edward showed me that he wasn't feeling any discomfort. I struggled not to grin like a fool as he happily chatted to the two humans without so much as a flutter of his nostrils. We were just about to say goodbye when Emmett and Zara returned and Edward introduced them as his brother and sister-in-law. By the time the neighbours left us and went into their house, they had invited us to join them for a welcome drink once we had moved in.

"You were supposed to wait for us to get back," Emmett said as we set off for home.

"I knew I'd be ok. Anyway, they were right there, it was the ideal time to introduce ourselves," grinned Edward. "I was fine. I'll continue to be fine."

He remained in high spirits for the rest of the day and again, it was clear he had taken a huge step forward. Finally he was confident in himself and his control proved that it wasn't misplaced.

The following week we returned to PA, this time with Carlisle and Jasper, visiting a furniture store to look for some suitable pieces for the house. We had some things from our old apartment of course, but we picked out some extra chairs for the living room, a dining table for the second room where Edward's piano would be situated and various linens, towels and so on. We spent over an hour in the store, repeatedly coming into close contact with other shoppers or staff and although Edward began to fidget towards the end, he didn't appear to suffer too badly. His eyes were still golden when we returned to the car and although he gulped as if his throat was sore, he insisted he was in control of himself.

Seeing him deal with being around people, Carlisle stopped worrying so much and when the day came for the furniture we had ordered to be delivered to the house, Edward and I went alone to receive the items. After the delivery came, we arranged the things where we wanted them and Christened one of the armchairs, Edward sitting on my lap with his back to me, my cock buried deep inside of him, my hand jerking him off while he bounced rapidly, bringing both of us to a very quick and noisy finish.

I still hadn't managed to persuade him to take me during those few weeks. I longed for it and although he promised we would try, when it came to it he would make excuses, convinced that he would hurt me. He would often use his fingers on me, tormentingly carefully until I was silently begging him to go ahead and impale me on his cock, but it never happened and I wondered if it ever would.

The week before Christmas, the time came for the operation on my leg, somewhat earlier than expected. I had thought it would be another month, but a further x-ray revealed that the bones had knitted back together sufficiently that the screws were no longer required and Carlisle decided to get it over with sooner rather than later. I had been doing my best not to think about it, knowing it wouldn't be a pleasant experience, but now the day had arrived and I was lying on the operating table in the surgery, glancing fearfully at the tray of implements on the trolley beside me and for some reason convincing myself that I wouldn't wake up from the anaesthetic. It seemed an irrational fear, but I couldn't shake it and when Carlisle gave me a pill to swallow, telling me it was a relaxant before I would be put to sleep, I hesitated.

"Can't you do it without me being unconscious?"

"I can, Jacob, but it won't be pleasant for you," he said with a frown. "I can give you enough local anaesthetic that you won't feel any pain, but it's often the sounds and the thoughts of what's happening that are more frightening."

"Well, the thought of it won't bother me any more than it has done for the last few weeks," I said. "You're going to cut my leg open and take the screws out, right? Then sew me back up?"

"No, actually, I'll be making three very small incisions to give me access to each screw. There will possibly be only two or three stitches for each when I'm done."

"Is that all?" I pushed myself up onto my elbows. "I thought you were going to have to slice the whole leg open!" I exclaimed.

"Jacob, this is the Twenty-Second Century, medicine isn't quite that barbaric any more," Carlisle chuckled. "I would have had to do that if any adjustments to the way the bone was regrowing were needed, but that hasn't been necessary."

"I think I can handle that," I said in relief. "Please, just do it with the local. I know anaesthetics are pretty safe and I've been under before, but I just...I don't know, I don't want to tempt fate."

"Fair enough." He moved away and returned a moment later with a syringe and a bottle of something which he drew up into the needle. "I'm going to inject you in several places - I want the whole of your lower leg numb, but even so; if you feel anything at all when I begin, let me know."

"You needn't worry about that." I lay back down, my heart racing. Even with the less invasive operation than the one I had imagined, I was dreading what he was about to do and I wished that Edward could have been with me. Of course it was impossible, but having him there would have made everything better.

"I'm here." Suddenly he was at my side, grasping my hand and I looked up in surprise.

"Edward, you can't be in here," Carlisle said at once.

"Yes, I can. Jacob has been here for me constantly for months every time I needed him; I can do this."

"Edward, I'll be ok if it's going to be too hard for you," I said at once.

"I'm staying." He gripped my hand more firmly and reached out with his free hand to pull a stool next to the table to sit on.

"Do you want us in there too?" Jasper asked from the doorway and Carlisle gave a slightly resigned nod. A moment later Jasper, Emmett and Esme were all standing behind Edward and I couldn't help a small nervous laugh.

"I feel like an experiment."

"You'll be fine," Edward said. "So will I."

I flinched as I felt the needle in my leg just below the knee, then again a few inches lower; twice more further down. I felt a little sick and I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them and fixed my gaze on Edward's face. He was still holding my hand tightly and he reached up with the other hand, resting his cool palm on my forehead. I was sweating with anxiety and I relished the soothing feel of his temperature.

I determinedly didn't look as Carlisle picked up an implement from the tray and all I felt was the pressure of my leg being leaned on as he presumably made an incision. Edward's nostrils flared and he licked his lips, but his eyes remained locked onto mine, darkening slightly, but otherwise stable. I heard the clink of the scalpel being laid down and then more movements and a whirring noise like a drill.

"What...?"

"Sshh, don't look and don't think about it," Edward said firmly. "Remember our first time around when you did this for me? I got shot helping Paul's Imprint in the jewellery store robbery and Carlisle had to take the bullet out. Anaesthetic doesn't work on us so I just had to...bite the bullet, so to speak, and you were with me the whole time, making me read your thoughts so I would have something better to get me through it."

"I remember," I said with a smile. Edward had been in agony, pinned to the table by some of the other vampires while Carlisle drove something like a chisel into his shoulder to get to the bullet.

"You stayed with me while I healed. It was hours and you didn't move; just sat there and held my hand and helped me feed."

"That's one done," Carlisle said suddenly. "You're doing fine, Jacob."

"That quick?" I said in surprise.

"Ordinarily, if I was doing this in the hospital it would take much longer, but I can use my speed here with no humans to see me. Are you alright, Edward?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He licked his lips again and took a brief glance down at my leg, then looked back at my face. "What else can I remind you of?"

"I could remind you of when I Imprinted," I said. "I was convinced if I exerted enough willpower, I would Imprint on Bella, regardless of Sam telling me fate would choose for me and I couldn't just make it happen. I was gloating because I was hugging her and you were pissed. I deliberately thought things about her that would upset you and when I looked at you over her shoulder...damnit...there it was. I was yours."

"You must have hated me right then," Edward grinned.

"Not for long, thanks to fate. I tried to convince myself it wasn't real, that I could ignore it, but one night I was lurking outside the house for hours watching you play the piano just to ease the pain I felt from being away from you."

Emmett snorted with laughter at this point and muttered, "Sap," under his breath.

"Jerk," Edward responded.

"Two done," reported Carlisle.

I felt the pressure of him starting to make the final incision and then a sharp stabbing pain and I yelped and twitched. Edward's hand gripped mine tighter and Carlisle stopped what he was doing quickly.

"I'm sorry, I think we need another shot."

"It's ok, just do it," I said through my teeth. "It'll be over in a minute, right?"

"Are you sure?"

"Mmm."

I dug my nails harder into Edward's hand and gritted my teeth as the doctor continued. The leg was mostly numb, but there seemed to be one tiny area where I had feeling and that was right in the part he was pulling the screw out of. Edward's eyes darkened further and I lifted my other hand to touch his arm.

"Are you ok?"

"Uh huh."

"Edward, maybe you should go outside, it's nearly over," Jasper said.

"No!"

Edward gulped and set his lips in a thin line, his jaw twitching. I took a brief glance down at Carlisle's hands for the first time and realised he was already putting the last stitch in place, his latex covered hands smeared with my blood. Grimacing, I looked back up at Edward and lay motionless until suddenly it was over. Carlisle removed his gloves and swiftly bandaged my leg, moving the trolley of implements away from the table.

"Are you ok, Jacob?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I'm ok. Thank you for being here, it can't have been easy."

"I'm alright. Just excuse me a minute though...sorry..."

In a flash he was across the other side of the room, emptying a blood pack from the chiller into a foam cup and gulping it quickly. I slowly pulled myself up and lowered my legs off the edge of the table. I still felt hot and a little queasy and now my head spun.

"Uh...don't feel so good..." I muttered.

It was Esme who came to me, a cold hand on the back of my neck and a bowl in front of me as I embarrassed myself by vomiting violently. Jasper and Emmett disappeared and I was aware of Edward hovering by the door, not seeming to know whether to stay or go.

"Sorry...dizzy..." I mumbled as Esme wiped my face with a cool damp cloth.

"It's alright, Jacob, it's to be expected," Carlisle said. "What you've just been through wasn't pleasant; you were very brave."

The door clicked closed as Edward exited and I lowered myself back onto the table and stretched out at Esme's insistence.

"Just lie there until you feel better. I'll stay."

"Is Edward ok?"

"Don't worry about him, he'll be fine." Carlisle left the room too and I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to push the sick feeling away.

It was perhaps thirty minutes before I felt well enough to get up and by then the shots had worn off sufficiently for me to be in a fair amount of discomfort. Carlisle gave me some strong oral painkillers and then Emmett carried me into the lounge and lowered me onto the couch. Edward quickly came to my side, looking slightly shame-faced.

"I'm sorry I left."

"I don't blame you; I wouldn't have wanted to watch me puke either."

"It wasn't that; I thought me feeding was what made you sick."

"When have you ever known that to bother me?" I said at once. "It was just the operation, that's all. I was hot and dizzy; couldn't help it."

"How are you feeling now?"

"Sore, but otherwise ok. I just hope it's not too long before I can walk on it again."

"Once the stitches are out it'll be alright," Carlisle said. "You might need the help of one of your crutches again at first though, we'll just see how it goes."

"I was hoping I'd be on my feet for Christmas," I said. It was now only a week away and I had wanted to be able to go Christmas shopping.

"Perhaps we could invite your family over for a few hours," suggested Carlisle. "If your parents think it'll be ok for your sisters."

"They'd be fine; the girls are dying to see Edward."

I was delighted by the suggestion, but I knew Claire and Chloe would ask a hundred questions and I decided to have a talk with my parents about it first. They would no doubt eventually tell the girls what Edward was, because when he didn't age it would become obvious. Finally things could become a little more normal for us and I found I couldn't wait for Christmas, when both families would be able to spend it together.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

My hopes of being on my feet properly by Christmas were quickly dashed when I realised I was in considerable discomfort and in need of pain relief again later that day. Carlisle told me not to worry about it and that the screws being removed from my bones and the small incisions through flesh and muscle were bound to feel very sore for a little while. For two days I stayed on the bed or the couch, only moving with the help of the crutches to get between one and the other, or to go to the bathroom. Edward stayed with me constantly except for when he needed to hunt and although I was up and about again on the third day, I knew there was no chance of me getting into PA to go Christmas shopping. Instead I wrote two shopping lists - one for Esme to buy gifts for my family and Zara and Charlotte and another for the two women to get a gift for everybody else, even though both families had protested that I didn't need to worry about it. Of course I had worried, wanting everyone to have something special and Edward gave Esme money for the gifts which made me feel even worse. I had very little money of my own left, but I did give Zara fifty dollars and insist that she had to use those notes for Edward's present. For once I didn't choose anything too personal for him, preferring to do that myself, but I knew he would like the cufflinks I picked out from a jewellery store catalogue.

The next day Tanya helped me with the wrapping of the gifts except for the bottle of perfume I had bought for her. Vampires rarely wore scent, their own natural smell being particularly alluring, but she liked her fancy clothes and makeup and reminded me a little of Alice in that regard. Jasper's first wife had been very fashion conscious and had had a walk-in wardrobe to accommodate her enormous collection of designer outfits and shoes.

Jasper and Emmett went into the forest and returned with a huge tree which they set up in the main lounge and then left for their wives to decorate with lights and baubles. Esme stocked the refrigerator with the food she planned to cook for the dinner and began baking snacks and treats. My parents had agreed to bring my sisters over for several hours on Christmas Day and I knew they were intending to at least tell the girls part of the story about the Cullens. They weren't babies any more and had been fascinated by the story of my history as a shape-shifter and they had never breathed a word to anyone outside of the immediate family; not even Grandpa and our uncle. They were to be told only that the family were vampires and that Carlisle had created all of the others in order to save them from dying as humans. Dad also made sure to tell them that there were a lot of stories on the internet and in books which portrayed vampires as dangerous killers, but that the Cullens were different and only lived on animals. I worried that the news would make Claire and Chloe wary of the family, but in fact it had the opposite effect. When they arrived on Christmas morning and had greeted everybody, they immediately monopolised Edward, making him sit between them on the loveseat while they asked endless questions.

"Don't you eat food at all?"

"Did you really die when you fell down the mountain?"

"What happened to you the first time?

"When you knew Jacob before, how long had you been a vampire then?"

"What did your Mom and Dad think?"

"Did anybody ever guess?"

And on and on although they didn't ask any particularly awkward questions, such as 'have you ever killed anybody', much to my relief.

"Girls, stop bothering Edward," Mom said eventually, but he shook his head and smiled.

"It's alright, Louise, I don't mind."

A good part of the morning was spent opening the vast pile of gifts beneath the tree, which had grown considerably after my parents unloaded the bags they had brought with them and then Edward played Christmas songs on the piano while Esme attended to the dinner she was cooking for me and my family. The turkey had been roasting since early that morning and a huge spread was laid out on the table at two o'clock, which Esme and Zara served up for us. The Cullens all sat with us while we ate and although my family did glance at the vampires curiously a few times, they said nothing about the fact that they didn't eat or drink.

It was towards the end of the meal that Edward began to look uncomfortable. He was seated opposite me and between Claire and Chloe and I could see his throat working and his hands fidgeting nervously. I stretched my good leg out under the table and prodded his knee with my toes.

_"Are you ok?"_ I thought.

He shook his head minutely, his eyes darkening. He had hunted early that morning, but several hours in the company of humans was still too much for him to handle without a break.

_"Just go, it's alright."_

Zara leaned over and whispered something to Carlisle and a moment later he slid his chair back and got up.

"Please excuse us for a little while. Edward?"

The pair left the room swiftly and Claire immediately put down her fork.

"Where are they going?"

"Edward just has a small errand to run," Carlisle said as he returned to the table.

"In the middle of dinner?" Chloe added.

"Girls, get on with your meal, I'm sure he'll be back soon," Mom put in.

Edward was gone two hours, returning when most of us were watching a Christmas movie. Carlisle had gone to take a shift at the hospital, Esme and Charlotte were clearing up the kitchen, but the rest of us watched and Edward appeared halfway through. There was a space next to me on the couch and he sat down quickly and snuggled against me.

"Sorry," he whispered.

_"It's alright. Did you get something?" _I queried silently.

He turned his head towards me, pale golden orbs glowing and I grinned.

"You didn't miss much," I said aloud. "They show this one every Christmas."

"I know, I've probably seen it a hundred times, literally," he responded with a smirk.

My family left towards the end of the afternoon, Mom's bags filled this time with the gifts they had been given. The day had gone pretty well and although Edward had needed to slip out for a while, there had been no problems. When Carlisle returned from the hospital late in the evening, he commented on how the day had gone and much to my surprise, and Edward's, suggested that we might want to think about moving into our house in a few weeks.

"Trying to get rid of us?" Edward joked.

"Yeah, you're outstaying your welcome," grinned Emmett.

Carlisle went on to advise that we should make sure we kept a supply of blood packs in the refrigerator for emergencies, especially given that Edward wouldn't simply be able to step outside and hunt. The house was in the western suburbs of PA, not far from the sea which made the nearest part of the forest around seven miles away. If he became thirsty suddenly, he would find things very difficult.

"I don't know why you don't have a new house built near here," Charlotte said. "Wouldn't that be easier?"

"Maybe easier, but not what we want. We chose that house together for our first home," Edward told her. "I'll be fine, so long as I plan well."

It was decided that we would move after New Year and the prospect delighted Edward and me. Finally after five months, which was actually much sooner than expected, we would be able to begin our lives in our own home. Of course we had our own place with the apartment when we were in college, but this was different and we eagerly visited the house again to check on what we would need to buy and arranged a delivery truck to transport Edward's piano and our bed and a few other things. The move was planned for January twelfth and I hoped to at least be able to walk without crutches by then.

On the day of the move, the transport people loaded up the truck and then Edward drove me to the house in the Neptune, unusually slowly so that the delivery guys could follow. It seemed strange to watch the three men struggle with the piano and the bed when two vampires could have moved the items in minutes without any effort, but living in an area where we actually had neighbours, Edward and any of the Cullens who visited were going to have to be careful not to move too quickly or exhibit any unusual strength.

I was at last able to walk over the threshold of our home without crutches although I did have a severe limp and couldn't put too much weight on my leg yet. It was healing well, but was weak and stiff and Carlisle had given me some new exercises to do to strengthen the muscles and make movement easier.

I still felt a little awkward about the fact that Edward would be paying all of the bills and buying food for me and so on, but I had to accept that I had no choice until I was capable of starting work, which wouldn't be for months yet. However, Jasper had suggested that as I would have to wait until I could run around before I could even consider applying for a new coaching post, I might in the meantime try offering myself as a home-based sports coach or fitness instructor, either having students visit or alternately travelling to their homes. I wasn't yet able to drive, but a few more weeks of strengthening exercises would make that possible and I decided it was definitely something I would look into.

Our first night in the house couldn't have been more perfect. I had usually been the one to plan special things for Edward, whether it was our very first time together in college, or the romantic bath I had arranged to put him at ease a few months before, but this time it was he who organised the evening for me. He had filled the bath with hot water and bubbles for me to soak in and while I lay there with the door open, he played the piano downstairs, choosing some of my favourite pieces including the one he had written in college which he had shyly played for me then and ever since, kept for me alone. When I eventually pushed the lever to empty the bath and got up to dry myself, he stopped playing and a few minutes later I heard a knock on the front door and Edward speaking to someone.

I dressed quickly in cargo shorts and a shirt and hobbled down the stairs, discovering the lounge room lit by clusters of candles and a Chinese meal waiting for me, accompanied by a glass of red wine. Edward had his own glass to drink from and sipped it while I ate.

"This is amazing," I commented as I dug into the sticky, spicy beef and rice.

"I found a flyer for the restaurant in the hallway; they must have been advertising."

"No, I mean...the food's great, but this whole thing is amazing. You're spoiling me," I grinned.

"It's about time I did something for you." He shuffled closer until his thigh rested against mine and leaned in to kiss my cheek. "I love you. When I came round after the accident and discovered what I was - again - I thought it was over for us. I didn't see how we could make it work, but you never gave up; never doubted me for a second and the past few months you've constantly been there for me, making me feel better about myself, encouraging me when I thought I would fail. You make me feel alive."

"You'd have done the same for me," I said at once. "You're everything to me; you were before and you are now. I love you, Edward." I sipped my wine and then put the glass down and turned to give him a warm, soft kiss. His lips caressed mine and I tasted a faint coppery hint of the contents of his glass before I drew back and returned to my meal.

When I finished eating, Edward took my plate away and then returned to the couch to snuggle up with me and enjoy a little more of the wine. We sprawled in each other's arms, talking softly to each other and enjoying the romance of the dim light and flickering candles, but predictably it didn't take long for our physical closeness and our thoughts to arouse us. Edward's legs were resting either side of one of mine and I could feel his cock growing in his pants, the hardness of it pressing into my thigh and the feel of it quickly drew a response from me. Blood rushed to my groin and I shifted slightly, turning completely onto my back and manoeuvring Edward so that he lay on top of me, both of my legs between his. His clothed cock nudged mine and he gyrated his hips slowly, rubbing himself against me as his lips and tongue teased my mouth.

I hadn't bothered to put on underwear after my bath and I could feel my zipper pressing uncomfortably against my erection, but at the same time the feel of Edward only aroused me more. I slid my hands down his back to his butt and squeezed the hard flesh firmly, making him grind against me and feeling my cock leak into my pants.

"God, I want you," I groaned as his cool lips traced my cheekbone to my ear and then down to my neck. He lifted his hips up slightly and I moved one hand between us, cupping his erection and rubbing him through his clothes. He thrust himself against my palm, shuddering and gasping, his lips returning to mine in a searing, but icy kiss, deep groans rumbling up from his chest as I stroked and squeezed. After a moment he pulled back again and sat up, pushing my hand off.

"You have to stop, or I'm going to come. Let's go to bed."

In a second he was on his feet, blurring around the room putting the candles out while I hauled myself up and began making my way up the stairs as quickly as my limp would allow. I couldn't wait to spend our first night in our own bedroom together and by the time I had reached the door, Edward was behind me, reaching around me to unfasten my pants as I stepped into the room. The cargo shorts fell to the floor and I stepped out of them, peeled off my shirt and lay down on the bed, wondering if Edward would undress at the speed of sound the way he often did, but I was to be pleasantly surprised. He closed the door and leaned on it, stepping out of his shoes and bending to pull off his socks before straightening again, idly stroking his hand over the bulge in his pants.

"Fuck," I muttered. He was going to tease me and my hand quickly drifted to my cock where it twitched against my belly, leaking pre-cum into my happy trail.

"No touching, just watch," Edward murmured.

"No fair."

"It'll be worth it when you see what I do to you after."

"Damn you." I took my hand off and clenched it at my side on the mattress.

Edward began to unbutton his shirt with exaggerated slowness, pausing halfway down to remove the cufflinks he was wearing, which I noticed were the ones I had given him for Christmas. Placing them on the dresser, he returned to the front of his shirt, parting the fabric to give me glimpses of his white skin and chest hair. I groaned and chewed my lip, writhing on the mattress and making my cock jiggle on my belly. My balls were tight and aching and I hadn't even seen anything of him yet.

"Can't you do this at vampire speed?" I asked hopefully.

"I could...but I'm not going to." He smirked and pulled the shirt out of his pants, then let it slide off his shoulders and pool on the floor at his feet.

"Let me touch myself."

"No, I want to see you squirm."

"Fuck."

I clenched my fists and pressed my thighs together, then spread them apart again, glancing at my quivering erection and then back at Edward as he unbuckled his belt and pulled it free, then began to unfasten his pants. The zipper slid down agonisingly slowly to reveal light blue underwear, a damp patch around the head of his cock. He paused and ran his hand over it lightly, moaning for effect and pushing his hand lower to cup his balls.

"God, you're killing me," I groaned.

Edward grinned wickedly and took his hand off himself, pushing his pants down his legs and stepping out of them. The front of his shorts were tenting obscenely and I licked my lips, imagining his impossibly hard erection inside, the pink head swollen and dripping.

"Please, let me see," I begged.

"You are impatient, Jacob."

He lowered his shorts a little, allowing the head of his cock to peek out and rubbing his thumb over it and then eventually removing the last garment, kicking the shorts aside and wrapping his hand around his shaft.

"Fuck, you are so sexy," I sighed.

Edward grinned and lowered his eyes, stroking himself slowly. "I was so worried you'd hate the way I looked until you organised that night with the bath," he murmured.

"I could never hate anything about you; human or vampire, you're the hottest thing I've ever seen. Please come over here."

"Are you sure you don't want me to just stand here and make myself come?"

"Christ, Edward, no! I can't wait any longer."

In a second he was on the bed, kneeling between my feet, his hands stroking lightly up and down my thighs.

"What shall I do next?"

"I wish you'd fuck me," I blurted.

"Not tonight. I've a better idea."

"Nothing could be better than having your cock in me. It's been too long."

"We'll try it soon, I promise," he said. "I'm still worried I won't be able to control myself well enough."

"Ok."

I relaxed with a sigh and watched as he bent over me, grasping my cock in his left hand and guiding the tip into his mouth, his tongue circling rapidly before he dropped his head forward, taking me all the way in and sucking eagerly, his throat working around me and making me shudder and thrust myself upwards, aching to come. For a moment he let me fuck his mouth, but then he sat back and pulled off me, slipping his hands under my knees and pulling them up and further apart. Even though I knew it wasn't going to happen, I imagined him coating himself in lube, lining himself up and pushing his icy shaft into my heat and I moaned and writhed, wondering what he had in store for me next.

He lowered himself almost flat, his head between my legs, cupping my balls in his hand and then drawing one into his mouth, rolling it around on his tongue before letting it slip free and giving the other the same treatment.

"Shit," I gasped. "Please..."

A hand slid under my butt, lifting me a couple inches as the tip of his tongue found its way to my perineum, teasing for a moment before circling my hole. A million goosebumps broke out over my body and my cock twitched and leaked as he continued licking my entrance, eventually dipping into it, the cold moistness making me shudder and swear. He continued until I could barely stand it, my neglected cock throbbing painfully on my belly.

"Fuck...I need to come...please..." I begged.

"Mmm...you like this?" Edward taunted.

"You know exactly what I like."

He pulled away again and sat up, reaching for the lube and quickly coating his fingers. I sighed with relief as one digit carefully penetrated me and he bent again, guiding my cock back into his mouth and stroking the base while he sucked, his head bobbing up and down. Gradually he worked a second finger into me and gently thrust both in and out, repeatedly bumping my prostate until I was groaning and cursing loudly, bucking my hips in an attempt to push myself deeper into his throat and at the same time impale myself further onto his fingers. The coldness of both and my desperation for release made my orgasm almost unbearably intense as it crashed through me and my yell filled the room as I flooded Edward's mouth with my seed and then I lay shuddering and whimpering as he released me and sat up.

"Holy shit!" I panted. "That was amazing."

My chest was heaving as I drew in great gulps of air and I could hear my own heartbeat, thudding loudly as I came down from my high and wondered what I should do for Edward in return.

"Just stay where you are and watch," he said, still kneeling in front of me.

He edged a little closer so that his knees pressed against the insides of my spread thighs and I rested my hands behind my head and watched eagerly as he squeezed out more lube into his palm and coated himself in it before slowly stroking his hand up and down, gripping himself tightly, his lower lip caught between his teeth and his eyes gleaming black as he began to jerk off. He kept the pace steady for several minutes, cupping his balls in his free hand and tugging on them, kneeling upright and thrusting his hips forward rhythmically. My softening cock began to fill again as I watched him fuck his fist and this time he didn't protest when I reached down to touch myself. He was letting out little groans and whimpers and his hand sped up suddenly, flying up and down his shaft so fast that it became a blur.

"Yes! Come for me," I hissed.

I raised my head eagerly to see better as he rapidly brought himself to the finish, his hand slowing again suddenly and moving more erratically, his groans becoming as loud as mine had been as he came hard, spurting his cold fluid onto my balls and the base of my cock, painting the back of my hand as I rubbed myself and then sinking back onto his heels, panting loudly. After a moment he grabbed a washcloth from the bed table that he had clearly brought into the room earlier and wiped both himself and me clean.

"Christ, Edward, that was so good," I sighed as he lowered himself into my arms, his hand quickly drifting to my erection again.

After our initial urgency, we took it more slowly, stroking and kissing, teasing each other. Then I pulled myself up and rested my back on a pillow against the wall while we made love, Edward sitting on my lap, riding me, his thighs shaking with the effort of going slow. Afterwards we cleaned up quickly in the bathroom and then lay down in each other's arms, enjoying being together in our own home until I became too drousy to keep my eyes open. Edward stayed until I fell asleep, although I knew he would head out to hunt while I slept.

For the next two days we did nothing at all except enjoy each other's company at home. Other than Edward going to hunt, we didn't go out and so far we hadn't seen anything of the neighbours. Although I had been thinking about it for a while, somehow since we moved in we were too wrapped up in each other for me to remember that it was my birthday. It was still dark when I opened my eyes and found myself alone and I glanced at the luminous hands of the clock on the bed table. Four o'clock, January fourteenth.

I rolled away from the clock and closed my eyes again with a groan. I was twenty-three. In five months' time it would be Edward's birthday too, but he wouldn't age physically and despite him having repeatedly told me that it didn't matter, that it wouldn't make any difference, I knew it wasn't true. Already I was a year older than him and in another twenty years I would be my father's age, greying at the temples, wrinkles forming at the corners of my eyes. Twenty years after that I would be in my sixties and Edward would still go on at twenty-two, young and beautiful with an old man for a husband.

"Fuck," I groaned.

Reaching my birthday had really brought home to me what our situation was and I began to wrack my brains for a solution as I lay alone in the darkness. I _had_ to do something. One way or another, I had to be able to stay with him.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I found it impossible to sleep any more and I got up to take a shower, then went downstairs as I heard Edward return. He waited at the bottom of the stairs for me to reach him.

"What are you doing up? Miss me?"

"Yeah."

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

I grabbed him and pulled him against me, hugging him tight and pressing my face into his neck to breathe in his scent. He slid his arms around my neck and kissed my ear.

"What's wrong, Jacob?"

"Can't you tell?"

"You know I don't do that too often."

"It's my birthday," I sighed.

"God, you're worrying about aging again, aren't you?" He stepped back and grasped my hand, leading me into the lounge to sit down. "I've told you..."

"...that it doesn't matter, I know," I interrupted. "But it _does_ matter, Edward, I'm already a year older than you and every January fourteenth I'll grow another year away from you and then another until you're burying me!"

"Jacob..."

"When Carlisle first changed you again, this was one of the things that worried you - that I would grow old and leave you. So what's different now? Suddenly you don't care that in fifty or sixty years I'll be gone and you'll be alone?"

I sounded much harsher than I intended and Edward's eyes darkened suddenly with hurt. He shifted away from me a few inches and his brows drew together in a frown.

"Of course I care. How can you say that? I just had to make myself learn to accept the way things are, just as I had to accept that I'm no longer human. If I hadn't been able to do that, I wouldn't have been able to get off of that bed and move forward. I'd be dead. I told you once that I was trying not to think too far ahead, to enjoy the present instead so that I wouldn't just give up..."

"I'm sorry, Edward," I groaned. "I'm sorry. Come here." I tugged him closer to me again and wrapped both arms tightly around him. "I've been trying not to think about it, but reaching my birthday just slapped me in the face with it again. I know the time I have isn't short, but it also isn't an eternity, like you will have. I can't stop thinking that fate brought us back together after we were torn apart, so why would it let that happen again? Surely if we came this far, we're supposed to somehow complete the circle. But I can't phase. I don't know if it's that I'm too old, or there's no threat to protect the tribe from...or maybe it's because I was brought up Makah...hell, I have no idea, I just wish my wolf was still in there somewhere because if I could get him to come out, we could have our eternity."

"Maybe it's just been too long," Edward said slowly. "There's been no need for a pack in so many decades that maybe the gene just...became extinct."

I groaned. I had always thought that somehow the wolf gene was only dormant, waiting for something to wake it up. I hadn't considered that maybe it was gone forever and now I would have to accept that there really was no hope; I would most likely die an old man with a husband who could have been my grandson and the thought of that was just unbearable.

Edward did his best to take my mind off the subject for most of the day. He didn't mention my birthday again or give me a gift, although I suspected he had bought one and was probably saving it until I was forced to take part in the celebrations my family were going to lay on that evening. It was a weekday so Edward and I had been invited to visit an hour after Dad finished work and some of the Cullens had planned to drive over as well.

I tried to shake off my miserable mood, if only to please Edward since he went to so much trouble to cheer me up. He took me for a walk down to the harbour and then on a boat trip along the coast; almost the same trip as one we had taken with Leah and Embry so long ago; one that we had taken when we were in college. Other than another equally crazy couple, we were the only people on the trip. The wind was icy, the sea rough and I shivered on the top deck in my thickest coat, gloves, scarf and a hat while Edward cuddled me from behind and at least sheltered me from some of the wind, although he couldn't warm me. I was numb by the time we returned to the harbour, my face pinched with cold and eyes watering, but I did feel a little better.

"I'm sorry, I should have realised it would be too cold for you," Edward said, rubbing one of my hands to improve my circulation.

"It was fine; I'm frozen, yes, but I do feel a bit better," I told him. "What's next? It's a shame the market's not on today."

"Hot coffee?" He indicated a small seafront diner and I headed inside with relief, eagerly wrapping my hands around the hot mug of coffee when it was given to me by an elderly waitress.

We spent part of the afternoon window-shopping and then returned home to get ready to drive to Neah Bay. Rather than leave me to hunt, Edward drank the contents of two of the blood packs in the refrigerator and then we set off in the Neptune. It was the first time I hadn't looked forward to seeing my family, but I swallowed my feelings when we arrived and opened the gifts everyone had bought for me, blew out the candles on the cake and enjoyed the food Mom had made. Edward's gifts were a recording of himself playing my favourite pieces of music on the piano and a paid-for booking form for me to take a one-week course which would qualify me to be a home fitness instructor and sports masseuse. I already had the skills for the latter from college, but I wouldn't legally be able to undertake them unless I was employed by someone else, but with the certificate the course would provide, I could advertise myself and either have clients visit me, or go to them. I had of course been considering this and it gave me something to look forward to. All I had to do was book a suitable week to do it. The fitness centre I would have to go to was located in PA so it was convenient too and it put a real smile on my face for the first time that day.

When we returned home, it was still early and Edward poured me a glass of wine from the half-empty bottle I'd had on our first night in the house. That had been only two days ago, but somehow it seemed much longer. I sipped the wine and relaxed on the couch while my vampire snuggled against me, his cool fingers idly stroking my chest inside my shirt. The despondent mood I had been in all day had meant that sex was the last thing on my mind, but his cool caresses and the weight of him resting against me, his lips occasionally brushing my jaw were enough to make my pulse quicken and my mind shift to the thought of us naked in each other's arms. It didn't seem to matter how I felt about anything else; Edward could always arouse me and I eventually forgot about everything other than him. I leaned over to put the empty wineglass on the table and turned towards him, cupping his face in my hand and tilting his head in order to capture his lips in a gentle kiss.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I murmured. "I know I've been a real miserable shit today."

"It doesn't matter. I do understand, you know."

"I know you do. That's why I feel bad; I wasn't very kind to you this morning." I gave him another kiss. "I love you so much; I just don't ever want to leave you."

"You won't, in here..." He tapped the side of his head. "...or in here." He touched his chest.

We rose from the couch in silent mutual agreement and headed upstairs to the bedroom. I imagined Edward would have something special in store for me the way he had when we moved in and he grinned crookedly as he closed the bedroom door, indicating I was right. This time he didn't tease me and make me wait; I could barely see his movements as he undressed. One minute he was standing a few feet from me in pants, shirt and socks and the next he was kicking aside his shorts, naked and half erect. He stepped towards me and slid his arms around my neck, leaning in closer to kiss me, then backing up to remove my clothes with equal speed. Suddenly I was naked too and his cold flesh was against my heat, his cock twitching against my own, cool lips and tongue teasing my mouth. His hands stroked my shoulders and down over my chest, then gripped my waist tightly and in a quick movement both of us were lying on the bed, the weight of Edward's body pressing me into the mattress.

"Any suggestions as to what I should do now?" he whispered.

"You know what I want. It _is_ my birthday."

I slid my legs apart under him until he rested between them and he took a little of his weight off me onto his knees, rubbing himself against me, his icy shaft making mine quiver and leak. He reached down and wrapped his long slim fingers around both, stroking us together while I shivered and squirmed beneath him, gasping at the tingling sensation in my balls. Then suddenly he moved and was lying at my side instead, his hand idly caressing my stomach and I groaned.

"Edward, please," I begged.

"Stop being so impatient." His lips touched my ear and his hand lowered to cup my balls, squeezing gently. "We'll try, but if it doesn't work out, it won't happen again."

"It'll be fine."

My pounding heart quickened its pace and I slipped my arm around him, pulling him closer against me. He was shivering slightly and I suspected it to be nervousness rather than excitement. I knew how worried he was that he would hurt me, but I also knew how much control he had and I was confidant that when he came inside me, he would wonder why he had hesitated for so long.

Edward drew away from me again and sat up, grabbing the lube and kneeling between my legs and I watched as he coated both hands, wrapping one around my erection and stroking slowly. The slick coolness made me gasp and I clenched my fists at my sides, my eyes fixed on my thick, caramel shaft gripped in Edward's white fist. I moaned and thrust my hips upwards, aching for more friction, but his grip remained light and his movements slow as he carefully circled my hole with the tip of one finger before pressing it into me.

"Fuck," I hissed through my teeth.

The cold digit slid deeper, curling upwards in search of my prostate and I rolled my head back, closing my eyes at the sensation, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I sucked in air, a picture of Edward pushing his cock into me in my head. I had wanted it so much for so long and finally, he was going to fuck me. My cock jerked in his hand and he stilled his movements, then let go and took hold of my balls instead, tugging on them for a moment.

"Calm down, I don't want you coming just yet."

"God, Edward, I can't help it," I groaned.

He chuckled softly and gently pushed a second finger into me, causing a slight burn as he stretched me. I opened my eyes and looked down as he released my balls and grasped my cock again, his own organ jutting up from between his thighs, the tip glistening wetly with pre-cum. His hands moved slowly, one teasing and one preparing, the two fingers gradually scissoring, opening me up a little more before a third digit pushed in. I breathed out shakily, struggling to stay relaxed. He had used two fingers plenty of times in the past few months, but it was a very long time since I'd had more than that inside of me.

"Shall I stop?" he queried quietly.

"No, I'm fine." I relaxed more and the discomfort began to fade, helped by his chilliness. _"I want you to fuck me," _I thought.

He took his time preparing me, stopping every so often to prevent me getting too close to orgasm to hold back until I was mentally begging him for more. Then at last he removed both hands and reached for the lube again, squeezing out a generous amount and coating his quivering cock with it. I pulled my knees up higher either side of him, watching eagerly as he shuffled forward and grasped himself, lining himself up and pushing the cold, pink mushroom head against me. It slid in without difficulty and I trembled at the feel of him and the sight of him entering me. My spine quivered and my skin broke out in goosebumps as he carefully pushed forward, invading me with his coldness an inch at a time, his eyes fixed on my face, his mind searching mine for discomfort.

"Stop worrying," I murmured. "I'm ok; just enjoy."

Slowly his length filled me, a little painful until I began to get used to his size, but he held still, his thighs quivering with the effort to give me time to adjust. His jaw was clenched, the muscles in his shoulders and arms taut, and I realised just how much he was having to hold himself back. Again I wished that my wolf would have emerged - back then, once we became used to each other he had been able to let go completely sometimes, fucking me with everything he had without causing anything more than a slight soreness which healed in minutes.

Edward carefully changed position, lowering himself over me and taking his weight on his knees and elbows, his hands gripping the end of the bed above my head. He withdrew a few inches and then pushed in again, his tip striking my prostate as I tilted my hips up.

"Oh, God," I groaned as my balls scrunched up against my body. I would be lucky to last a minute.

I slid my arms around Edward, resting my hands on his butt as he began to move slowly, but rhythmically, his body shaking continuously in his efforts to keep control. I increased the speed myself, thrusting up beneath him and pulling him into me, my cock twitching between our bellies and leaking pre-cum as my orgasm began to creep up on me.

"Harder," I moaned.

He was still holding back much more than he would have done as a human and I wanted him to fuck me, drive me forcefully over the edge rather than coax me there. He drew back until only the head of his cock remained in me and then snapped his hips forward, driving deep with a groan. I heard a crunch and glanced to the right, noticing the edge of the bed table splintered in his hand. He was panting hard, sucking in gulps of unnecessary air, black eyes half-closed and his body still shaking as he thrust again and again. Something else broke and he cursed under his breath and muttered an apology which I barely noticed. Pleasure was filling me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, my pulse racing, my cock jerking between us as I began to come. I felt myself clench around him, my muscles gripping his icy shaft harder until the sensation became painful, as if I were squeezing a rod of steel inside me. Edward moved faster, withdrawing almost completely and then slamming back into me, the angle slightly askew and my tightness making me wince. My cry of completion ended on a strangled groan and I tensed up more in discomfort, shuddering as Edward quickly withdrew and backed away from me.

"God, Jacob, I'm sorry, I'm so..._fuck!"_

His eyes widened, his face horrified as he looked at me and I lifted my head, unable to disguise the grimace of pain. I could see a small smear of blood on his cock, which was rapidly subsiding and then suddenly the bathroom door slammed, separating us.

"Fuck," I groaned.

I was more concerned about Edward than myself. He probably wouldn't want to come near me now in any capacity and I rolled over slowly, flinching and grabbing some tissues to clean myself up. I discovered that I had suffered nothing more than a minor tear at my entrance, although the bottom of my back hurt and my stomach felt a little as if I'd been punched. At least it didn't seem to be anything serious enough to result in a very embarrassing visit to Carlisle. I found a pair of black shorts and put them on, just as Edward emerged from the bathroom, his face completely anguished and eyes still the colour of jet.

"I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have tried. How bad is it?"

"It's nothing, Edward, I'm fine," I said, belying my words by wincing and grunting as I moved.

"It's not fine. I knew I'd be putting you in danger. If I lost control completely I could have killed you!" he cried, dragging both hands through his hair.

"Come here." I reached out to him, but he backed away and grabbed up his clothes, dressing rapidly.

"I can't...I can smell you. I'm sorry, Jacob, I'm so sorry," he repeated.

In a flash he was gone and I heard the front door of the house open and close. I knew he had only left so that he could hunt, but that didn't make it hurt any less and I lay down again, wrapping my arms around myself as hot tears slid down my cheeks. It was the first time we hadn't been able to comfort each other and again I prayed for my wolf to wake and cursed it for not being there. I had the original Jacob's bloodline, so why...?

I huddled there miserably on the bed, weeping into the pillow over my weak humanity and our love-making which had ended so badly after I'd been looking forward to it for so long. There had to be a way to fix this. I got up slowly and scrubbed away my tears, then limped, not only due to my leg, to the chest where I kept the two journals - Billy Black's and my own. I knew my history and the story of the shifters well enough, but perhaps I was overlooking something obvious. I was forgetting the most basic reason for a pack's existence and before I even opened Billy's journal I knew the answer. I sat down carefully on the edge of the bed, hissing painfully and stared at the leather cover of the book.

There had been no pack in La Push for decades. Why? Because there had been no threat to the tribe. The closeness of the Cullens didn't affect them because of the century-old treaty between the two, but if a rogue vampire, such as the evil redhead, Victoria, came within a hundred miles of the Reservation, the young boys in the tribe would start popping muscles and fur whether they liked it or not. _Young boys._ I had been sixteen when I phased and so had the others, with the exception of Sam Uley, the Alpha, who was nineteen. I was twenty-three. Was that too old? If I came across a non-vegetarian vampire, would I phase regardless of age?

I opened Billy's journal at last and began reading the history - not his and my own, but the original legend of Chief Taha Aki, a man who phased to protect his tribe when he already had three wives and numerous children. This was a mature man, somewhat older that I was now, which meant that age wasn't a factor in my wolf's failure to appear - it was all about the threat of rogue vampires, or lack of them. What was it Emmett had said to me a few months ago when I talked to him about the possibility of me becoming a vampire?

_"To all intents and purposes, you're a wolf. You have the blood of one and I'd been willing to bet that if you came face to face with a non-vegetarian vampire, it would soon make itself known."_

It seemed unlikely that after almost a hundred years a threat would suddenly appear in the area, but maybe if I went looking for one...maybe if I could find a rogue vampire or a coven somewhere, being close enough would awaken my wolf at long last. So long as I travelled far enough away from home there wouldn't be a risk of it or them coming after me and causing a problem in Washington. All I could think about was that there seemed to be a solution after all. I would have my wolf back and then I could stay with Edward forever; I would be stronger so that he wouldn't have to fear hurting me; we would have our eternity.

I didn't consider the major flaws in my plan; excitement filled me, even making my physical discomfort fade as I waited impatiently for Edward to return so that I could discuss it with him. There would be no point trying to keep it to myself because it would only take one peek into my head and he would see what I was thinking. Besides, I was convinced he would want this to happen; he would want me back the way I had been when we first fell in love.

Hours passed and Edward didn't return. Eventually I was forced to give in to exhaustion and sleep, but when I woke at dawn, I was still alone although I sensed that the house wasn't empty. I got up and went into the bathroom to attend to my morning routine, finding myself extremely sore and eventually hobbling down the stairs, doing my best not to make my discomfort obvious when I entered the lounge and found Edward sitting on the couch. He looked up at me with pale golden eyes and his brow furrowed immediately.

"I'm so sorry, Jacob," he groaned. "I hate that I hurt you; I lost control. It'll never happen again, we can't risk it." He tugged a hand through his hair. "And then I left you for hours. God, what if something happened to you? I..."

"Edward, please stop worrying about it," I begged, lowering myself gingerly onto the couch beside him. "I'm a bit sore, that's all, forget it. After you went out, I thought of something."

I began telling him about what Emmett had said to me, how I had looked at Billy's journal again, how the solution had been staring us in the face all along and now all we needed to do was go looking...

"No!" Edward shot to his feet, his face horrified. "You're out of your mind!"

"Listen to me..." I hauled myself up and faced him.

"No, you listen. What you're suggesting is crazy. Don't you know how dangerous that is? What if we did go looking for other vampires? What if nothing happened and you stayed human? They could kill you in a second and even if you did change, wouldn't you be disoriented for a while? Incapable of protecting yourself?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on walking up to their front door and introducing myself," I said a touch doubtfully. "I meant to get close enough just to..."

"Jacob!" Edward's voice was a growl and I was startled when he gripped my shoulders, giving me a slight shake which made me flinch, his fingers digging painfully into my muscles. "You're not..._we're_ not doing this! It's insane and dangerous and I won't let you. Even if I was there, or any of the others, which I know well enough they would refuse to do - even then, there's no guarantee you or some of us wouldn't end up dead. Is that what you want? Is prolonging your life so important to you that you'd risk losing it altogether?"

"Of course not."

"Besides the danger, if we went looking for trouble like you're suggesting, do you think a non-vegetarian vampire would just let us leave once they got the scent of us? Even if we avoided a fight, we'd be followed. You'd bring it all back here with you and then there'd be a pack in La Push alright, because any of the kids there with the bloodline wouldn't have a choice. Going to such lengths to make yourself change is not only dangerous to you and me, but it's fucking selfish, because it puts everyone in PA, Forks, La Push and the whole area at risk with us!"

"Alright!" I cried, shaking his hands off. "I'm sorry! I didn't think about that. I just...I want..."

"I know what you want, but if it's not meant to be then there's nothing you can do about it," Edward said sharply. "Just drop it."

"Fine."

My previous eagerness was quickly replaced by the dismal mood I had been in the day before and I sank back onto the couch with a sigh. He was right, of course he was. I had only been thinking about myself and there was no way I would chance bringing potential danger to the area, putting my family and the Cullens and the two Reservations at risk, but my heart sank just the same. In addition, I realised this was probably the first fight Edward and I had ever had and I hated that feeling more than anything else. He was pissed and hurt and upset that he had injured me and I couldn't even bring myself to give him a hug and try to make it better. I just felt miserable and I didn't feel able to reach out to him.

He looked down at me, the anger already gone from his face, replaced with sadness and longing and love. Then in a blur of movement and a soft breeze, he was gone from the house and again I was alone.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N I just learned that "Reunited", part two in this trilogy, won third place in the Top 10 Twilight Fictions completed in April, at TWIFANFICTIONRECS. Thanks so much to everybody who voted for me :o))**

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Edward didn't return all day. I tried calling him, but I immediately heard his cell ringing in the kitchen and I put my own phone down with a sigh of frustration. My heart hurt and I felt a little sick. I was desperate to put things right between us and I realised that I was going to have to put my fears about aging aside again and try to do what Edward did - accept what we had and make the most of every minute, but I knew I wouldn't stop hoping that a solution would present itself.

It was a very long and worrying day as I waited for Edward to come back and when dusk fell and he still hadn't appeared, I tried calling Emmett.

"What happened? Did you fight?" he asked at once.

"Why would you say that? Is Edward there?"

"No, he's not here. I'm just guessing, since you're calling me asking if I've seen him. He hasn't been here."

"Shit," I muttered, my stomach turning over. Where was he?

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Emmett asked.

"We kind of had a fight, I guess. He's upset and he doesn't have his phone with him."

"Three days in your own house and you can't live together already?"

"Emmett, for God's sake, don't joke!" I snapped. "What if something's happened to Edward?"

"What's going to happen? He's a vampire. Look, Jake, I'm sure he's fine. You should know by now that Edward likes his own space if things are bothering him."

"I guess we just never had a fight before," I muttered.

_"Never?_ You're kidding me." Emmett chuckled. "Rose and me used to fight like cat and dog. Zara...well, she just kicks me up the butt. Edward will be back, give him some time."

"Yeah."

After a few more minutes, I ended the call despondently and switched the TV on, although I didn't notice anything that happened on the screen. The only thing I could think about was Edward. Where was he?

I intended to stay up, waiting for him to come back, but eventually I must have fallen asleep on the couch. I had a dream and it was a similar scene to one I had woken from many times in the past. Running, searching for Edward, but I was on two legs instead of four. I could see glimpses of him ahead of me every now and then, but he kept moving away from me and in my human form, I had no hope of keeping up.

I woke with a start, my clothes sticking damply to my body, my heart pounding. The room was strangely dark, but I couldn't remember having turned the television off. The dream was still clear in my head and I wondered what the hell it meant. All the previous ones had meanings and if this was the same, it seemed to be telling me I would lose Edward; that he would slip away from me and I would never be able to catch him.

"Edward, where are you?" I groaned.

"I'm here."

His voice came from the other side of the room and he rose quickly from the chair, coming to kneel on the carpet beside the couch.

"God, Edward!"

I reached out to touch him and in a second his cool arms were around my heated body, his cheek resting against mine. I hugged him tightly, barely noticing the pain in my bruised shoulders as he gripped me, although he clearly picked up on it and loosened his hold with a sigh.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"You didn't do anything. This all started because I hurt you physically..."

"No, it didn't. You know how much I wanted that and I know you feel guilty for what happened, but this is about me aging and being physically weak compared to you. You were right; what I suggested doing would be far too dangerous. As hard as it is, I'm just going to have to accept the way we are. I don't want another day like this, Edward, I dreamed I was losing you."

"I know, I was in your head. I was about to get up and wake you when you woke yourself. You will never lose me. I'm sorry I disappeared; I went into the mountains. I just felt...wretched about everything. For a while I went back to feeling the way I did months ago; that I have to keep away from you for your own safety."

I groaned again and his lips brushed my cheek.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to, I talked some sense into myself. I love you and I love being with you. We're just going to have to be satisfied with what we can do as we are."

We talked a little while longer and somehow I must have drifted off to sleep again without realising it. The next time I woke I was in bed wearing only my shorts and Edward's cool body was wrapped around me, his hand over my heart and his mouth against my ear. I turned over slowly and studied him as he lay there with his eyes closed; white porcelain skin, lavender eyelids, long lashes resting on his cheeks, soft red lips, his chaotic bronze hair sticking out in all directions. I raised one hand slowly and cupped his cheek as the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk, although his eyes remained closed.

"If I was human I'd be bright red with you staring like that."

"Can't help it. You're beautiful."

"You're crazy." His eyes opened slowly and his golden orbs glowed as they met mine. "Are we ok?"

"We're ok. I love you."

I placed a small warm kiss on his cold lips and drew away to go to the bathroom. I was relieved that the brief situation between us was over, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to forget the fact that I was already a year older than him quite so easily, as much as I might try to accept it. By the time I returned to the bedroom, Edward was already up and dressed and I felt disappointed that he hadn't waited for me to return to his arms. It seemed that it was going to take a little longer for us to get back to the way we were.

Later that day I made efforts to start moving forward again with at least some things. I spotted our neighbour, Peter, in their yard and went out to let him know we had now moved in. He immediately invited us both over for drinks that evening and I accepted, although I worried slightly about how Edward would get around not drinking anything. He was keen to spend the evening with Peter and Sarah, however and merely told me not to worry about it.

In the bitterly cold evening, it wasn't too strange that Edward should wear gloves just to walk next door and he shook hands with the couple before removing them, then sat close to the open fire they had burning in their lounge. Sarah laid out a few snacks and Peter poured me wine from an open bottle on the table. Edward declined, saying he didn't drink and that a glass of water would be fine. I was astounded when he actually drank some of it as we chatted about our plans for careers and how we had met in college, learning that Peter ran his own business and had met Sarah through a company whose offices were in the same building. The pair were very friendly and told us if we ever needed help with anything, we only had to ask.

By the time we left, three hours had passed and Edward was showing no signs of discomfort over being in the humans' presence. However, I was a touch concerned about the fact that he had consumed two glasses of water. Vampires didn't eat or drink anything because they had no way of digesting, although I wasn't so sure about water and I couldn't remember whether it was something we had talked about in the last century.

"I'm fine, I could have eaten some of their food if I wanted, it just would have been more of a nuisance getting rid of it," he said. "I've never needed to do that yet, not even the first time, but it can be useful for avoiding awkward questions."

He left me and blurred upstairs to the bathroom, then called out to me to join him a minute later. I made my way up the stairs slowly, still hampered by my leg although mercifully I was no longer sore elsewhere.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yes, of course."

"What did you do? Throw up?"

"Yes." He grimaced slightly. "Sorry. It doesn't do us any harm, don't worry about it."

Another night passed without anything happening between us. Edward left me in the early hours of the morning to hunt, but when I woke he was back, curled up against me, greeting me with a kiss before he slid away from me. There had been no mistaking the feel of his erection before he moved, but for the first time in months he was clearly reluctant for anything to happen and even went as far as closing the bathroom door when he showered. I rolled over with a sigh, my own cock aching with need and my heart disappointed. It seemed that he was wary of starting anything because of what had happened the last time and I found myself wishing we hadn't even tried.

That day I made use of the booking Edward had arranged for me to take the week-long course that could help me to start work immediately. I was lucky in that a place was available starting the following week and I took it, feeling that this would be one positive step. I knew that if I had my own money again, I would at least feel better in that regard. I just hoped it would be as easy to get things back on track with my husband.

It was two more days before we were able to get past the physical hiccough in our relationship. I knew Edward would have picked up on my thoughts, but I hadn't actually voiced them until now, when once again I woke to find him hard against me although he backed away when I tried to deepen our morning kiss. I held onto him firmly and met his eyes.

"You don't have to keep doing this. I know you think you'll hurt me again, but you won't so long as we go back to how we were last week."

"Are you a mind-reader too now?" He smiled wryly. "It wasn't just when I made love to you. I can still see the bruises on your shoulders. It makes me sick with myself that I could do that."

"That was only because of what I said to you, it was nothing to do with sex," I reminded him. "You have never hurt me in bed otherwise. I miss you; I miss touching you, tasting you, making you come. I can feel every time I wake up that you want me."

He lowered his eyes and grinned crookedly. "I'm being stupid, aren't I? It was fine before."

"No, not stupid, just careful. I understand." I sat up and threw the bed covers off. "There's something I've been wanting to do for months, ever since I broke my leg. Will you shower with me?"

"We shower together all the time," Edward said.

"Not the way I'm thinking."

I swung myself off of the bed and headed into the bathroom. Edward followed quickly and turned on the water, removing his shorts and stepping under the hot spray while I emptied my bladder and cleaned my teeth. When I joined him and slid my arms around him, he melted against me and responded eagerly to my kiss for the first time in days, his icy erection nudging my heated one as I held him closer.

"Mmm, I missed this," I sighed as our lips parted, Edward's brushing my cheek and then my ear, the tip of his tongue teasing the lobe.

"Me too," he murmured.

I turned slightly, resting my back against the wall and drawing Edward against me, running my hands up and down his back and feeling him shiver under my touch. He shifted his feet apart and ground himself lightly against me, his lips meeting mine again in a gentle kiss. I slid one hand up to his neck, holding him there as I thrust my tongue into his mouth, crushing my own lips against his as I tasted his cool, sweet mouth, my cock twitching urgently between us and my pulse quickening until I could barely distinguish one heartbeat from the next. Edward moaned into the kiss and I ran my hands down his body again, squeezing his butt firmly and releasing my own groan as he rubbed himself against me.

I wanted him so much and I hoped my leg was going to hold up as I slid out from between Edward and the wall, leaving him facing the tiles and reaching up to turn the shower-head away from us a little. Then I grabbed the lube from the shower gel rack and coated my fingers. Edward shuddered and groaned even before I touched him, resting both hands flat against the wall and parting his legs further. My erection throbbed against my belly and I struggled not to start touching myself as I stroked one finger over Edward's hole, feeling the puckered flesh twitch under my touch. I circled it slowly before pushing one digit into him and he began to breathe loudly, panting for breath as he removed one hand from the wall again and grasped himself, giving his cock a few slow pumps as I added a second finger and thrust them firmly upwards.

"Ohhh...fuck..." he hissed.

"I missed touching you...making you squirm..." I whispered in his ear.

"I need more."

I leaned closer, pushing myself against his hip. "Want my cock?"

"God, yes."

"Want me to fuck you?"

His reply was a whimper and his muscles clenched around my fingers, not tightly enough to hurt. "Please..."

We were back to normal, I thought with a sigh of relief as I spent another minute or two stretching him, then withdrew my fingers and reached for the lube again. It had only been a few days, but I hated not having this closeness with him; not touching him or making love to him. Maybe we couldn't have everything we wanted, but I wouldn't complain about topping all the time. Edward didn't have any problems using fingers and tongue in me and at least he would fuck my mouth, if not my ass.

"Christ, Jacob, your thoughts are killing me!" Edward groaned. "Just fuck me, already!"

I covered my quivering shaft in lube quickly and lined myself up behind him, realising that I was going to have to use both hands to hold onto him to keep my balance, with one leg so much weaker than the other. I guided my tip into him, watching as the purple head disappeared into his tight hole, letting out a deep groan as I felt his coldness gripping me. It wasn't going to take me very long.

"More...fill me..." Edward panted.

I drove myself deep in one smooth thrust until my balls bumped against him. His head dropped forward between his shoulders and he leaned more heavily on the wall, his hand quickening its movements and his body shaking. I gripped his hips tightly and withdrew slowly, then plunged deep again, my wet thighs slapping against his and forcing a grunt from his throat.

"So close..." he gasped.

"You are quick off the mark."

"Tell me you're not. Tell me the feel of my coldness all around you isn't making you want to come right now."

"Damn you."

"How's your leg?" he asked amusingly.

"Huh? It's ok."

"Good. Then do it harder. Fuck me like you mean it."

"Jeez."

I dug my fingers harder into the firm flesh of Edward's hips, using him as both leverage and support as I began to slam myself into him harder and faster, my gasps and groans filling the bathroom as my orgasm approached rapidly, pulling my balls tight up against my body.

"Oh, God...yes...more...fuck..." Edward babbled.

His hand was flying over his cock so fast it was a blur and in another minute he was coming, painting the wall in front of him, his cold tunnel tightening around me, pushing me over the edge. My hips jerked erratically and I came hard, spurting deep within him and making him moan and gasp again as my heat filled him. Spent, I rested my weight against his back, remaining there until I softened and slipped from him. He turned slowly towards me, eyes black, his chest still rising and falling rapidly and a lust-filled smile on his face.

"That was so good."

"You felt amazing." I brushed my lips against his before I stepped back again and reached for the shower gel. "I'll never complain again about this not being enough."

We cleaned each other up and stayed in the shower until I realised I was going to need to sit down before my leg gave way under me. I would have to step up the exercises Carlisle had given me to strengthen it, especially if we were going to have sex standing up on a regular basis. Edward snorted and passed me a towel.

"We could add it the exercises. You know, walking up and down stairs, stretching, light weights, fucking your husband..."

"I definitely think I need so spend more time on that last one," I teased as I dried myself.

Things were good between us again; better than good - they were amazing. It was as if nothing had happened and I could almost convince myself it didn't matter than I was growing older. Almost.

The following week I undertook the course which was intended for people already possessing the necessary skills, but testing them on everything in order to provide the certificate to enable working from home. I demonstrated my leadership skills from college, led a football team through practise and instructed the trainer on how to use various weight machines before giving him a series of stretching exercises and a fitness routine to do. The latter part wasn't something I had learned in college, but I had studied the basics and I passed that section of the course. The remainder involved me giving a full body massage while being observed by a professional masseuse, followed by sports massage on various parts of the body which could become injured while training.

On the Friday afternoon I was given the certificate I needed and I returned home delighted, vowing to place an ad on the local news website over the weekend in the hopes that I would quickly get work. Edward had already prepared a celebration for the evening, guessing I would pass the course easily. Much to my surprise he cooked me a meal, opened wine and a pack of blood for himself, and lit candles on the dining table. I ate, we shared the drinks and then he played the piano for a little while before we headed upstairs for an early night.

Saturday, I placed the ad and once it was done, Edward revealed that he intended to do a similar thing himself before too long. Although he was technically still a newborn, he had proved that he was safe to be around humans, at least for several hours at a time and there was no real reason for him to delay his plans much longer. He wouldn't be able to apply for a teaching post in a school or college at least until the summer and he admitted that he wasn't ready to face full days surrounded by dozens of people, but he could certainly be a private tutor, especially if the students could come to our home where I would most likely be around most of the time.

It was only two days before I received enquiries from potential clients - three calls in the space of one morning. One was an amateur footballer who had sustained a leg injury and required training exercises and sports massage. Another was a disabled kid whose parents had been advised professional massages would help his condition and the third was an older, rather unfit guy who simply wanted to get in better shape after his divorce in order to feel more confident in looking for a new partner. After discussions with each, I took on all three, the footballer and the kid for two sessions a week and the older guy, four sessions a week. I was delighted that things had taken off so quickly and I couldn't wait to actually begin.

I got along well with all three of my clients and during the second week, I was approached by a large lady who required a personal trainer to help her lose the weight she gained during three pregnancies and also a promising young footballer who had been injured and lost a lot of training time. His team had said they would be glad to have him back if he could catch up with his training quickly. The five of them kept me busy for a few hours each day and I was over the moon with the developments. Not only was I doing what I loved, but I was earning good money doing it and after a few weeks I found myself tempted to reconsider my future career choice. I had longed to coach in a school or sports club, but I hadn't thought about the possibility of being self-employed. Now that I was already doing it, I realised that working the hours I wanted, picking my clients and not having to follow the rules of an establishment was extremely satisfying and I could easily earn the same amount I would have had in a proper contract, with a lot less hours. Aside from Edward, Esme gave the most encouragement for me to run my own business and having a good head for figures, had offered to do my accounts for me. I had never been much good at math and although Edward was good at everything in my opinion, he preferred literature to figures. I was glad to hand over the books to Esme and she was able to deal with them in a tenth of the time it would have taken a human accountant.

In the spring Edward moved forward with his plans, obtaining a license to teach academic subjects at home which involved an interview and a background check to ensure he had no criminal record and was not a risk to young people entering his home unattended. He even joked about this part, pointing out that he was certainly a risk, just not the kind the authorities imagined. He decided to initially advertise for summer students who were either behind in their studies, or wanted to get a head start for the next school year. This would mean he would have spent almost a year as a vampire by the time he began working and there would be very little risk to him having any problems.

I had no trouble now with my leg, having persevered with many hours of strengthening exercises until it was as strong as the other, although I was disappointed that I still hadn't been able to get rid of the limp. As much as I tried to overcome it, it stubbornly stayed with me and predictably Emmett's nickname for me had changed from 'mutt' to 'hop-along'.

We celebrated Edward's birthday on June twentieth at the Cullens' house, with my parents and sisters driving over for a small party. Edward would still mark his birthdays, even though he wouldn't change physically. We escaped as early as we could manage and spent the rest of the evening celebrating in our own way, Edward on hands and knees, gripping the new wrought iron head of the bed while I slammed into him from behind, our cries mingling and echoing around the house as we came together. Edward needed to go out to hunt not too long afterwards and I showered and went to bed, knowing he would join me as soon as he returned.

I lay awake for a while, thinking about the past few months and realising that things had been so good that my worry about aging had faded considerably, only coming to the forefront of my mind again today due to Edward's birthday. I folded my hands behind my head with a sigh, wondering if we really were destined to remain this way, or if by some miracle, I would find my wolf again one day before it was too late.

It was the following morning when I received a phone call that was to change everything for me. I didn't recognise the number when my cell rang and vibrated on the kitchen counter as I finished breakfast and I picked it up, wondering if it was a potential new client.

"Jacob Black?"

I smiled to myself as I said my name. Mom and Dad hadn't been in the least upset when I asked if they minded me legally changing it from Lester, after I had already thought of myself as a Black since I discovered where I had come from. Edward, of course, had been just as keen to have Masen as a second middle name and use Cullen as his official family name.

"Jacob, this is Stuart Clearwater-Call."

The man's voice was very similar to that of my old friend Embry, when he had been a young man. My brow wrinkled and I felt a pang of guilt that I hadn't made more effort to keep in touch with him after Embry and Leah had died.

"Stuart, hey. Good to hear from you."

"I need to talk to you," he said seriously. "It's about my son."


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I had met Stuart's son a few years before when Edward and I first found Embry and Leah again in La Push. The boy had been in his early teens then, I remembered which would make him around sixteen or seventeen now. I was ashamed to realise I had forgotten his name.

"Liam will be seventeen next month," Stuart was saying.

Liam; that was it. The closest Stuart had been able to get to the combined names of his grandparents.

"He's changing. I wonder if you might come see him, if it's not too much trouble."

"Changing how?"

My heart-rate picked up as I waited for him to answer. Could Liam possibly be showing signs of an imminent phase? It seemed impossible after so long with no wolves in La Push. Did this mean there was an approaching threat? With Alice gone, there was no way for the Cullens to see what may be coming.

"His personality has changed a lot recently. He was such a sweet, gentle boy, but he's become very surly and bad-tempered; aggressive almost, like he wants to pick a fight with everyone, including me and his mother."

"A lot of teenagers go through a stage like that," I said. I hadn't myself, but I knew it was normal for kids to fight with their parents as they grew up.

"It's more than that," Stuart said. "It's like he had a personality transplant. Also he's grown physically. You know what I'm saying, Jacob. It's so long since there was a pack here – none since you – the elders seem unwilling to accept that there might be a chance..." He stopped and cleared his throat. "You've been there; I thought maybe if you see him, you could put my mind at rest, one way or another."

"Alright," I said at once. "When do you want me to come over?"

"When's convenient?"

"Well...now, I guess, I'm not really doing anything."

I ended the call and turned to Edward who had appeared in the room and was looking at me curiously.

"Who was that?"

"Stuart, Embry and Leah's grandson. He thinks his son's showing signs of phasing."

I was unable to keep the sudden excitement out of my voice. I should have been worried about the reason for the potential development of a wolf, but all I could think about was that if Liam did phase, there would likely be others. Maybe there would still be a chance for me.

"Fuck," Edward muttered. "I better call Carlisle."

"I wouldn't do that yet; it could be a false alarm. I'm going over there to see the kid," I said. "If it looks like it really is that, we can tell your family."

"I'll go with you," Edward said at once.

"Ok." I grabbed the keys to my truck and then hesitated. "You can't go, Edward. Not now."

We had been to La Push many times of course, when Embry and Leah were still alive, but now that Edward was a vampire, he wouldn't be accepted whether there were wolves or not. He cursed under his breath again and sighed heavily.

"I'll go with you as far as Forks then. I'll visit the others while you go to the Reservation, then at least if you have news for them, I'll already be there too."

We set off right away and I left Edward at the end of the Cullens' driveway, then completed the last few miles to La Push alone. I headed straight for the Clearwater-Calls' house and Stuart opened the door to let me in before I had reached it.

"Hey, Jacob." He shook my hand firmly. "Thanks for coming."

"No problem. Is Liam here?"

"Yes, he's in his room studying."

"Is your wife home?"

"No, that's why I called when I did. I don't want her worrying unnecessarily if I'm wrong about this." He led me into the house and offered me a seat in the small lounge.

"When did you first notice a change in Liam?" I asked.

"Two, three weeks ago. In that time he's gone from a skinny, gangly teenager to a man that looks like he spent six months in the gym. At first I worried he might be taking something; you know, steroids or something like that, which would also explain the mood changes, but even drugs don't make such a big difference so fast, as far as I know."

"You know that if it's true – if he does phase – it'll be because there's a threat coming."

"Yes, I know. Haven't your people heard anything?"

I shook my head. "They only had forewarning before because one of them had the ability to see the future. Alice died and none of the others have that ability."

Stuart nodded. "I'll fetch my boy in; give me a minute."

I remained where I was and heard a door open and close, then muffled voices and after a few minutes Stuart returned with a very sulky-looking Liam in tow. He looked almost nothing like the boy I remembered; he had grown around six inches in height and his t-shirt was stretched over a broad chest and muscular shoulders. His fists were clenched at his sides and he was glowering at his father's back. Stuart stepped aside and sat in the chair opposite me.

"Say hello, Liam, where are your manners?" Stuart said sharply.

"_Hello_," Liam said in an exaggerated tone, not looking at me. "Can I go now? I was _busy."_

"I'm sorry," Stuart said to me, frowning.

Liam growled under his breath, but didn't speak and I looked him up and down again. He had a hint of Embry's appearance in him, but his features were harder, angrier and he was physically bigger than my old friend had been. I could see why Stuart worried; it seemed obvious to me.

"What's his appetite like?" I asked.

"He's eating us out of house and home. I've never seen anyone pack away so much food and not pile weight on."

"Temperature?"

"Normal, as far as I can tell."

"You're talking about me like I'm not here; like I'm some kind of freak!" Liam snapped, curling his lip.

Stuart jumped to his feet. "Get back to your room now, boy! I'm about sick of your attitude lately!"

"I'm going out." The boy shot an evil look at his father and a disdainful one at me, then strode out of the room and slammed the front door as he left the house.

"I'm sorry, Jacob," Stuart sighed. "I told you what he was like."

"Don't worry about it."

Again, my heart was racing and I wished I'd had the chance to actually talk to Liam myself. All the signs were there, with the exception of the temperature. He looked like I had when I turned sixteen and two months later, I was a wolf. Stuart had said Liam had begun to change two or three weeks previous, which meant if what I was seeing was real, it could happen at any time.

"What do I do?" asked Stuart.

"Try not to get into a fight with him. I'm going to go talk to the Cullens. They'll be able to find out what's going on; they have a lot of contacts."

"Where's Edward, by the way?"

"He's...um...of course, you won't know. Last year we were in a climbing accident. He almost died and Carlisle had to change him to save his life. That's why he's not here; he can't come onto the Reservation any more without an invitation from either the Chief or the Alpha, if there was one."

"Shit, he's a vampire?" Stuart's eyes widened. "That must make things difficult for you. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be; mostly there's no problem, we just had to learn how to live together all over again," I grinned. "Our only problem is that now he's stuck at twenty-two and I'm going to keep on aging, unless..."

"You phase too."

"Exactly. I don't know what chance there is of that, but if this is real...if Liam phases, maybe it'll happen to me."

"If it does, I guess you'd be Alpha, wouldn't you?"

"I'm not so sure. I mean, my bloodline says I would be and I should have been the first time around. I don't know how much your grandparents told you about our pack, but Sam Uley was Alpha, only because I didn't want the responsibility. However, I'm showing no signs of anything happening to me, so I don't know. I can only hope."

"Why would you hope to change when you're married to a vampire? Wouldn't it make you fight with him?" Stuart smirked suddenly. "To anyone else that question would sound pretty crazy."

"Yes, it does. I told you though; it's about my aging. If I can phase, I won't physically age. We lived together before as wolf and vampire, so it would work again."

"Of course, sorry, that's kind of obvious. I guess I'm worrying about my boy; it makes it hard to think."

"Look, try not to worry too much yet. I'm gonna go see the Cullens now. I'll call you or come by as soon as I have any news."

I got to my feet, eager to see Carlisle and try to find out what was going on. I was probably going to be the only one who saw this as a positive development, but all I could think about was that my wolf was dormant because of the lack of a vampire threat. If Liam was about to phase, there had to be a reason for it and it followed that it could apply to me too.

As I drove back to the Cullens', I found myself praying that finally there would be a solution to my future with Edward. Of course there would be danger, but the pack and the Cullens had dealt with rogues before and if that was what it was, they could deal with it again; _we _could deal with it again.

"Please...please..." I murmured. "If you're in there somewhere, for the love of God, come out."

All of the Cullens, with the exception of Emmett and Zara, were home when I arrived. I hurried into the rear lounge from where I could hear their voices and took a seat next to Edward.

"Well?" he said.

"What's going on?" asked Jasper.

"I'm not sure. Did Edward tell you I've been to the Res?"

Jasper nodded. "Visiting Embry and Leah's family."

"Their grandson called me. His son is showing signs of phasing and it looks like it could happen at any time."

A couple of the vampires gasped.

"Is there a way you can find out if something's heading our way?" I asked.

"Of course, I can make some calls," Carlisle said at once.

"We could have done with Alice..." Jasper blurted and Charlotte glowered at him. "Her _ability,"_ he corrected.

Edward's hand slid into mine and he chewed his lip. "I know you hope this will happen to you, but there's something you haven't considered. All you can think of is that if you phase, you won't age, but what if this makes us enemies?"

"It won't," I said quickly.

"How do you know that? A wolf's instincts and a vampire's aren't governed by their hearts..."

"We were together before."

"You _Imprinted_ on me. You had no choice. What if that didn't happen? What if you hated me? Or Imprinted on somebody else? God." He groaned and dragged a hand through his hair.

"Edward, stop worrying so much. It hasn't happened yet, has it? I'm not even showing any signs that it might."

I wasn't concerned about a possible change affecting our love for each other, but one of the points he made did cause me to worry. The Imprint. It was unpredictable, down to fate, not the wolf. What if fate's plan had simply been to toy with us all along? What if I phased and it decided to choose someone else for me? My love for Edward would die and there would be nothing I could do about it. I slid my arm around him and pulled him close to me. The thought was horrifying and I knew I was only making him feel worse because he was reading my mind.

"You're getting ahead of yourselves," Jasper said smoothly and I looked up at him. He was staring fixedly at both of us and I felt Edward relax as my own racing heart slowed and the fist on my lap unclenched.

"I'll start making some calls."

Carlisle picked up his phone and the rest of us stayed silent and listened as he spoke to a number of people - vampires - in different parts of the States and South America. It wasn't until he eventually talked to Garrett who was back in Alaska that he heard something that may be useful. When he ended the call he explained that a small band of rogues had been picking off members of the population of Wainwright and Barrow, making their way towards Prudhoe Bay. Garrett and his coven, now numbering five, had met the rogues before they reached their territory and managed to kill two of them before the others fled, the trail they left indicating they headed south-east.

"There are four of them," Carlisle said. "One of Garrett's group tracked them a couple hundred miles. They were making their way to the Canadian border, so it's possible they'll eventually reach Washington."

"When?" Esme asked.

"They left North Alaska three days ago, so it really depends on how fast they're travelling. It could be a few days or a few weeks."

"Shit," muttered Jasper.

"I suppose this was going to happen sooner or later," Esme said. "We've been very lucky for a long time. It would be quite impossible for us to continue indefinitely without ever encountering others. How discreet are they? The rogues."

"They don't seem to be drawing a great deal of attention to themselves," Carlisle replied. "Garrett said there have been brief mentions in the press about apparent bear attacks. No one has thought anything of it. It's unlikely to result in a visit from the Volturi if we can deal with it quickly."

"I'm surprised the Volturi haven't been here anyway," Emmett said suddenly from the door. "I'm sure they will if they ever get to hear about Edward returning from the grave. What did we miss?"

He and Zara came in quickly and Jasper filled them in on what Carlisle had told us. Edward and I sat communicating quietly while the others talked, me thinking and him whispering the way we had often done in the past. Only Zara could have picked up in it, but she was engrossed in her conversation with the others.

_"I'll have to go back to La Push and talk to Stuart again," _I thought. _"Also the elders. It's probable there will be more than just Liam if those rogues really are heading this way. I know there are still Atearas and Uleys on the Res and they were the ones with the direct bloodline."_

"I wish I could go with you," Edward said in my ear. "It already feels as if there's a line between us; one that neither of us can cross."

_"Nothing has even happened to me yet,"_ I reminded him.

"But you want it to."

_"Yes, I do. Not only for the aging thing, but now there's a real reason for it. I might not have much to do with La Push any more, but my roots are still there and it should be my responsibility to help defend it."_

"We'll begin patrolling tonight," Carlisle said and we looked up at once. "Two at a time. Of course my responsibilities to the hospital will come first for the present, so Edward, you will accompany Esme. You had better stay here for now."

"What about me?" I frowned.

"I think it's best if you go home. Unless anything happens..."

"You mean unless I phase, I'm no use to anyone."

"No, I mean you're in potential danger here. I don't want any of us, particularly Edward, having to worry about you."

"I can't go back to PA, it's too far away. I should be close to La Push."

"Could you stay with the Clearwater-Calls?" Esme suggested.

"This is ridiculous," Edward said. "Jacob should be with me."

"He can't be with you when you're patrolling and if he's here in the house, your mind will be distracted," said Carlisle firmly.

"Damnit!" My vampire shot up from the couch and blurred across the room, tugging his hands through his hair again.

"It'll be ok," I said. "I'll go to La Push if I have to."

"What about your students?"

"Johnny's going away on vacation for two weeks and Marielle's at the end of her programme. I'll tell the other two I'm going on vacation. At least if I'm on the Res rather than all the way over in PA we can see each other. Besides, Stuart and the others might need me there, for my advice if nothing else."

"Ok," Edward nodded. "I guess it does make sense."

"I'll go now," I said, pulling myself to my feet. "I'll go see Stuart first and then go home and sort things out there. I'll be back later."

Reluctantly I left Edward with the other Cullens and drove back to the Reservation. I found Stuart home, but Liam was still out and I quickly filled him in on what Carlisle had discovered.

"So he is going to phase," Stuart sighed.

"It looks that way. There may be others."

"Quil Ateara could be one."

"Their boys are still called Quil?" I asked, unsurprised.

"Yeah, there's one a few months younger than Liam; Quil Ateara VIII."

"Any Uleys?"

"Only a girl, Emma. What other families were involved before? There aren't any Camerons here now."

"Lahote," I remembered. "Are they still here?"

"Oh, yeah, they're here," Stuart said with a grimace. "I've told Liam a hundred times to stay away from that boy, but he won't listen. I thought at first it was Wolf's influence that was turning my boy into such a..."

_"Wolf?"_ I interrupted incredulously.

"Yeah, the last two male Lahotes have been named Wolf. They think it makes a statement," Stuart shrugged.

I grinned, remembering Paul. He had been an aggressive, trouble-causing jerk at first, loathing our pack's connection to the Cullens and especially my Imprint on Edward; right up until he Imprinted on Stacey and Edward saved her from being shot. Suddenly his prejudice was over and he supported us. It sounded very much like the latest Lahote boy was following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather.

Liam walked in at this point and grunted at his father, ignoring me until Stuart told him to sit down and at least pretend to be polite to his guest.

"Jacob is the last true Alpha, in case you've forgotten," he said.

"Huh...you sure don't look like an Alpha. Can't even walk straight," Liam sneered. "If there's gonna be any Alpha around here, it'll be me."

"Liam!" Stuart growled.

"You told him already?" I queried.

"All the kids around here know. It's not kept a secret like it used to be; probably because it's been so long since there was a pack that it seemed like it wasn't going to happen again. So, what do we do now?"

"Keep an eye on him and talk to the parents of the others," I said. "There's something else; I need to ask you a favour."

Stuart was happy to offer me their couch to sleep on for the moment. There was no guest room and Liam complained loudly at my unwanted presence until his father told him to shut his mouth and go to his room. The initial suggestion had been that Liam take the couch, but I refused to evict the boy from his bedroom, certain it would only lead to more problems. Stuart's wife, Linda, returned just as I was about to leave and confirmed she would be delighted to have me stay although she was confused as to why. Stuart promised to fill her in while I went to collect my things and I drove straight back to PA.

My mind was a turmoil during the hour I spent on the road. I was both anxious and excited by the thought of a pack developing again - anxious because there was a chance I still wouldn't be part of it and excited that maybe I would. On top of this there was the fear that maybe the rogue coven would pose a danger to us; maybe one of the Cullens or the La Push boys would be hurt or even killed. Perhaps I would get what I wanted and be part of the pack only to Imprint before I could even see Edward. The whole situation was fraught with dangers that I hadn't really thought of.

I called my clients first, advising them that I would be away for two weeks and they had no problem with this, despite it being at short notice. I packed two cases with my own clothes and Edward's, intending to go to the Cullens' again on the way back to La Push and then I called on our neighbours briefly, telling them that we had a family emergency to deal with in Forks and that we would be away for a little while. Peter promised they would keep an eye on our house and I left them my phone number before I got back on the road and headed west again.

Edward was in our old room when I arrived and I took the case containing his clothes up with me. He was sitting in silence, doing nothing other than thinking. There was no bed in the room now and he sat on a couch which had been moved in and placed beneath the window.

"Are you ok?" I sat down next to him and he nestled against me.

"Yes, just thinking. I know how much you want to phase; there's just so much that could go wrong with this."

"It might not even happen," I said. "There are no signs of it in me at all."

"I know, but it doesn't mean there won't be. Believe me, if I could have you back the way we were, I would love it. I wouldn't worry all the time that I would hurt you; we could hunt together the way we used to...but then...maybe we would hurt each other. There's still a treaty in place, no doubt, but this is a pretty unusual situation. I don't want it to be the end of us. We've been through too much. Don't say your feelings wouldn't change, because we've no way of knowing. If you don't Imprint on me again, you could find me...unappealing. I could see you as a threat to my family and me. We might end up..."

_"...killing each other,"_ I thought before I could stop myself.

Edward shuddered. "I know it seems impossible now, but it's not, is it? Everything that's happened to us so far is impossible. Who knows what's in store for us next?"

"We're getting ahead of ourselves," I said, hoping that was true. "Like Jasper said. We've no way of knowing what's going to happen. All we can do is hold onto the fact that we've been brought together twice so far; that we're soul mates, the love of each other's lives. If fate made that happen then surely it won't rip us apart now?"

"I hope not," Edward murmured, pressing his face into my neck. "If you phased and suddenly saw me the same way as any other leech, I'd rather die than go on like that."

"That won't happen; I won't let it," I said firmly, but I knew my thoughts belied what I said and I knew he heard them. Anything was possible and suddenly halting my aging was something that didn't even matter, so long as nothing would come between us.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It was my second evening at the Clearwater-Calls' home when I met the infamous Wolf Lahote. Liam had at least tried to be slightly more civil in the meantime, more down to Linda than Stuart. Her withering looks and low-voiced reprimands had more effect than Stuart's growling and the boy had begun to accept my presence, even if it was only on the surface. It was clear to me that he continued to inwardly resent me.

Wolf arrived at the door just after we finished dinner and Liam excused himself, saying they were going to kick a ball around in the yard. I looked out of the kitchen window and eyed the young thug, finding him to be almost the spitting image of Paul. The Lahote gene had certainly passed down a lot of detail and I could have been looking at a sixteen-year-old Paul a century ago. The boy's features seemed to be permanently contorted in a scowl and he had almost as much muscle as Liam, indicating that he was well on the way to becoming the wolf he was named for.

"I can't bear that boy," Linda said to me. "He's such a bad influence; always in trouble."

"Sounds like his great-grandfather," I told her. "If history is to repeat itself, hopefully he'll improve; Liam too."

I spent most of each day at the Cullens' with Edward, either in our old room making using of the couch or out together, enjoying each other's company. He patrolled and also hunted at night so that it wouldn't shorten our time together but both of us were frustrated with the situation. We wanted to be together in our own home, with all of the trouble behind us, but it loomed some way ahead and all we could do was wait and keep an eye on the news for unexplained killings in Canada which might indicate the direction the rogues were heading. For three days we had heard nothing, the only development being that Liam had begun complaining that he was too hot all the time. Stuart had touched his arm and his forehead and said he felt as if he were coming down with a fever. His change had to be close.

I parked up next to the small house as I returned from seeing Edward, finding Liam and Wolf in the yard as was often the case. They appeared to be just wandering around talking, but then Liam suddenly peeled off his t-shirt and threw it onto the picnic table, dragging a hand through his hair. I paused as I got out of the truck and looked him up and down. His upper body glistened with sweat, pecs and shoulders bulged massively and he had an impressive set of abs. The two boys glanced my way and Wolf scowled.

"I would keep your shirt on, Liam, your Dad's fag friend is eyeing you up."

"Fuck off!" Liam growled.

"I'm only saying. Bet he's just waiting for a chance for your parents to be out so he can have you over that table."

Wolf snorted with laughter suddenly and then stopped, stunned, when Liam's fist landed squarely in his mouth. His amusement vanished, quickly replaced with rage and he shoved Liam away from him.

"What the fuck was that?" he demanded, spitting blood.

"I'm no fag!" Liam snapped.

"I didn't say you were; you sure have got your panties in a knot right now though," Wolf taunted.

I groaned inwardly as Liam flew at his friend and the pair wrestled, staggering this way and that, trying to overpower each other and eventually tumbling to the ground. Wolf landed on top and attempted to restrain Liam, until the boy awkwardly threw another punch and then jerked upright, his forehead smashing into Wolf's face. Blood exploded from the other boy's nose and I raced across the lawn, cursing my limp until I reached them.

"Break it up! What the hell is wrong with you two?" I demanded, grabbing Liam, who had now rolled the weakened Wolf onto his back and was punching him repeatedly while he attempted to fend his attacker off and get in a jab of his own here and there.

I dragged Liam backwards, surprised by his weight, and quickly let go, winded, as his fist connected with my stomach. My hands could still feel the burning heat of his skin and I could see thin wisps of steam rising from him. If he didn't phase right then it would be a miracle.

"Get your fucking hands off of me!" he snarled.

"Liam!" Stuart bellowed from the doorway.

"Stuart, stay over there," I gasped, holding up my hand in the hopes he would stop. "Wolf, get up."

The Lahote boy scrambled to his feet, alternately spitting blood and dabbing at his nose with his shirt. He went towards the house and Linda called him inside so that she could take care of him.

"Liam...you have to calm down," I began.

"I am calm!"

"Take deep breaths. Come on, you have to get your heart-rate down."

He sucked in a long shuddering breath and blew it out again. I could see his body shaking, fresh beads of sweat breaking from every pore, his hair damp and sticking to his forehead and neck.

"What's happening to me?" he rumbled.

"You know what's happening, don't you? You have to try to stop it. You're too much of a danger to everybody right now."

He turned to look at me at last, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he panted for breath.

"Everything hurts."

"You can control it, Liam. Big breaths...in...out...stop thinking about Wolf or me or anything that gets under your skin. Think about something that makes you happy."

"Nothing makes me fucking happy!" His fists clenched again at his sides and he took a step towards me. "I fucking hate this! I just want to go back to normal! This isn't me! I don't fight with people."

"I felt that way too, once," I said calmly. "I fought against it with everything I had, but in the end I just had to go with it. It does get easier and you will feel better, I promise."

"Why is this happening to me? I don't want it!"

"You know why. I explained what's been happening in Alaska; what may be on its way here."

"Yeah, I'm supposed to protect the tribe from fucking leeches!" he spat. "If that's the case, maybe I'll just go right over to your precious family's house and...!"

His voice broke and a growl emerged instead. I quickly took a few steps backwards in the direction of the house as I watched him, his shaking increasing until he was almost blurring in front of me.

"Liam...stop...it's not too late...try to relax..." I coaxed.

It was too late. I could see it and there was nothing he could do. His body rolled forward, hands outstretched to catch himself, but by the time they hit the ground, they were paws. He was a light silver grey colour, like Leah, with the darker spots along his spine that Embry had. Lips peeled back from teeth in a snarl and he took a step towards me and then another, his head level with my own.

"Oh, my God, Jake!" Stuart gasped.

"Get in the house," I said without looking at him.

The man disappeared without another word and I slowly followed him, still moving backwards, continuing in trying to coax Liam into calming down. He had stopped moving and was merely baring his teeth, but suddenly his head lowered and he let out a miserable whine like a lost puppy before dropping onto his belly and closing his eyes.

"Liam, you won't be able to communicate with us until you phase back," I said. "So just listen to me. I know you're scared right now, but it happened and the worst is over. When this happened to me, I didn't want it either, but after the first time, it does become part of who you are. Being a shifter is something to be proud of, not to hate or be scared of. You and any of the others who follow you - I'm guessing Wolf will, by the look of him and maybe the young Ateara boy - will be cherished by the tribe. You're very important, Liam."

He was still shivering from head to foot, ears flat against the sides of his head, but he opened his dark eyes and looked up at me.

"I know you're wondering how long it'll be before you change back and it's all down to you. For me, I was alone at the time it happened and I didn't have someone to reassure me until Sam Uley caught up with me a few hours later, so it took a while. You have to relax, calm down, slow your heart down and imagine yourself human; think about things that make you happy. There must be something, even if it's an old memory. Maybe your parents taking you somewhere special when you were a kid; Christmas; a girl you like?"

The young wolf in front of me let out a long sigh and closed his eyes again, lying perfectly still. I shut my mouth, letting him think, and two or three minutes later I was looking at a naked boy kneeling on the grass, arms folded across his lap to cover his privates. I turned towards the house and Stuart quickly emerged with a pair of cut-offs in his hand.

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine," I confirmed, taking the shorts back to Liam. "Here you go, put these on and we'll go inside. You're alright now."

I turned my back while he put the shorts on and came to stand beside me, head hanging.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"What for?"

"I hit you; insulted you. I wanted to...attack you."

"I didn't take it personally, Liam. In the weeks leading up to phasing, shifters aren't themselves. You're filled with unexplainable rage, wanting something or somebody to blame for the way you feel and when it does happen, you have to work on controlling the wolf so he doesn't take over. You'll be fine."

"I'm sorry about what Wolf said."

"He was just letting off steam," I said. "I would guess he's heading the same way as you, pretty soon. How long has he had those muscles?"

"A month, maybe two."

"Did he feel cool to you? His skin, I mean?"

"No, about the same as me," Liam said, puzzled

"Then he's not far behind you. I better talk to his father later."

"I need to apologise to him; I might have broken his nose."

"Talk to him tomorrow."

I steered the boy into the house and he picked up a t-shirt from the pile of laundry in the kitchen and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Wolf Lahote had gone home and Linda and Stuart both sat with me in the lounge, their faces worried.

"He'll be ok, really," I said again. "I think you'll see a change in his attitude pretty soon too. Don't fuss over him though, and don't give him grief about fighting with Wolf. That will sort itself out."

They both nodded and Linda reached out to give my arm a squeeze.

"You don't know how thankful we are that you're here, Jacob. I don't know how we would have managed without you."

"Don't worry about it; I'm glad to help," I said at once. "I can remember all too well what it was like for me before. I was just like Liam; fighting it all the way and hating what I was, but it all worked itself out in the end. You know, in wolf form he's very like your grandparents."

"I saw them phased once," Stuart said. "They kept doing it maybe a couple times a year until my parents passed on. I'd never seen them before; they kept it to themselves, but I asked to see. I was always amazed they'd never Imprinted. They were so crazy about each other, but in wolf form, it was way more intense. You could almost see the connection between them like a chain running from one to the other."

I grinned. "They were totally in love with each other. Embry had a huge crush on Leah for a long time before he eventually got the guts to say anything and then they were inseparable. They were the first people to accept me being with Edward."

We chattered on until Liam emerged from the bathroom, looking embarrassed and ashamed. He sat down next to his mother and avoided everybody's eyes and I got to my feet and excused myself, deciding to head down to the beach for a walk and leave them to talk about things. The new pack had begun and again I wondered if I was meant to be part of it.

I called Edward as I walked to let him know Liam had phased, the development making it clear that the band of rogues were heading our way. I didn't talk to him for long as Esme was waiting for him to go out patrolling and I put the phone back into my pocket and continued walking along the sand. I had spent many hours down here as a kid before and after I had phased. Initially I'd spent most of my time with Embry and Quil, until Embry had joined the pack. Back then no one knew anything and I had been upset that my friend had apparently abandoned me and Quil in favour of Sam Uley's 'cult'. Then I had phased, leaving Quil behind and he had been even more hurt than I had been, left alone and unable to understand why.

I found myself running my hands up and down my arms, feeling my shoulders, trying to figure out if there was any change in me at all. I had always been pretty muscular, having played sports and worked out in college and continued with training after my leg healed, but I couldn't see that I had grown any bigger. My temperature was normal, I was calm, I ate no more than usual - there was absolutely no sign at all that it was going to happen to me and I sighed heavily and made my way slowly back to the house. Maybe it just wasn't meant for me; perhaps Liam would be Alpha and I would be...nothing.

I talked to Wolf Lahote Senior the next morning. Rather than call him, I went to their house and was faced with another very angry Paul lookalike on the porch. He blamed my appearance on the Reservation for Liam's treatment of his son, despite the younger Wolf repeatedly interrupting to say that he had brought it on himself by taunting Liam until he exploded. Eventually the father relented and let me in, listening as I pointed out that his son was close to following Liam and phasing. The man admitted that he hadn't really paid enough attention to notice the changes in the boy and now that he looked at him, he could see it for himself. A grin spread over his face as he realised that young Wolf was intended to follow in his great-grandfather's footsteps, his reaction being much different to Stuart and Linda's. He was proud and eager for it to happen as soon as possible, an attitude that was reflected in his son.

I made the suggestion that Wolf continue to spend time at the Clearwater-Calls' house so that he could be kept an eye on when his father was working and with the hope that now Liam had phased, he would be a better influence on his friend. I knew Stuart and Linda wouldn't be thrilled, but figured I could take responsibility for Wolf myself and try to ensure he didn't cause any trouble. I supposed I could encourage him to burn off his energy and temper with sports, but I had no sooner left the Lahotes' house than I realised I had shot myself in the foot. If I was supervising Wolf for hours each day, I couldn't be with Edward during that time and already I felt that the time we had together wasn't enough.

I drove over to the Cullens' immediately to see him for as long as I could and we walked in the forest together, my hand gripping Edward's tightly, my thumb stroking over his wedding ring.

"It's ok," he said before I could even speak.

"It's not," I said. "We don't have enough time together as it is and now I basically said I'd gonna babysit little Paul until he phases."

"It's not going to be forever," Edward reasoned. "I understand why you want to do it. I think things are going to start happening pretty quickly. Jasper read on the net earlier that there's been a spate of killings in the south of the Yukon Territory. They're blaming it on bears too, but it has to be the rogues. They're heading this way fast. I don't suppose it's going to take the Lahote boy long to catch up with Liam and any others that are meant to phase. You mentioned there's a young Quil Ateara?"

"Yes, I need to go see him and check things out. I suppose there's a possibility of the Uley girl phasing too. Leah was the only female wolf, but it doesn't mean there won't be another, especially as her great-grandfather was Alpha."

"He wasn't Alpha by blood," Edward reminded me. "That was you."

"Well, it doesn't look like it's going to be me this time!" I snapped.

"I'm sorry." Edward pulled his hand free of mine. "I know how much you want it."

"No, I'm sorry." I grabbed his arm to halt him and drew him close to me. "I shouldn't be taking it out on you. If I did phase, there's always the chance it would go wrong; for us, I mean. I know we've talked about this a hundred times already, but I can't stop thinking about it."

"It's ok." he slid his arms around my waist, one hand under the bottom of my shirt, his cool hand stroking up and down my spine soothingly. I caressed his ear with my lips and breathed into it slowly, making him shiver.

"I miss you," I murmured. "I hate not waking up with you."

"I miss your warmth," Edward sighed. "This is all going to be over soon, one way or another."

I knew he was right, but it didn't make being apart any easier for either of us in the meantime.

I quickly began to regret my offer to keep an eye on Wolf. He came over to the Clearwater-Calls' house later that day and Liam apologised for smashing his nose, which was a good start, but Wolf, although accepting his apology, proceeded to be surly and bad-tempered for the rest of the day, his behaviour almost seeming like an attempt to goad Liam into phasing again. I took the pair of them down to the beach to play football and eventually the game succeeded in putting a smile on Wolf's face at least some of the time.

The next few days passed in much the same way - more often than not Wolf was the exact replica of Paul; bad-tempered, rude and sulky and each day he complained more and more about his temperature and got into another fight with Liam for eating an entire cake that Linda had only just baked. Linda wanted to send the boy home, but it was clear she didn't dare to reprimand him in case it prompted him to phase.

When it did happen, Wolf wasn't with the rest of us. His father called, sounding delighted, to tell me there was a huge grey wolf in his yard and I drove over to their house quickly. The Lahote wolf looked exactly the way Paul had looked - a darker shade of grey than Liam and with more aggressive features. I tried to get him to calm down enough to phase back, but his response was to snarl at me and advance until I was forced to step into the house and close the door. Then he fled in the direction of the beach. Again I cursed my inability to phase. I could have gone after him, talked him down much easier than I could as I was and the only thing I could do was go back to find Liam and convince him to do what I couldn't.

"He'll probably try to kill me," was Liam's response.

"He won't; you have to take control of him. Essentially you are Alpha, Liam. Your great-grandmother was Chief and both she and her husband were pack members. The only descendant of the last Alpha is me. As first to phase, it falls to you. He _will_ listen to you, Liam, but you can't let yourself be goaded into a fight."

I tried to explain how his wolf would take control of other pack members, but at the same time that he couldn't let it overrule his human side. He hadn't phased since that first time and now began to worry that he wouldn't be able to do it.

"It's just the reverse of what you did before," I said. "Imagine yourself changing; imagine yourself standing there on four paws, furry, dominant, in control. It might take a few tries, but you'll do it. Oh, and take your clothes off - at least the outer ones, otherwise you're going to start costing your parents a fortune."

Liam sighed heavily. "Won't he just phase back and come home on his own eventually?"

"Maybe; maybe not. When Sam Uley first phased, he was the first of the pack. He had no one to help him and he ran away, stuck in wolf form for two weeks and completely panicked. When it happened to me, I had him, but it still took me a while. I was furious because I hadn't wanted it to happen. You are much calmer than I ever was and you can help Wolf. He'll probably seem like he's just pissed, but inside he'll be scared too; like you were."

"Ok."

We were in the yard and luckily Liam's parents were both currently at work. I knew the situation would have worried them and hopefully it would all be over by the time they got home.

Liam stripped down to his underwear and sat on the grass, eyes closed, struggling to summon his wolf and failing. Ten minutes passed and it didn't happen and he opened his eyes again, chewing his lip.

"I can't do it. Before, I couldn't stop it, but now, it's like it's not even there."

"Try again," I encouraged, moving myself further away from him. "Close your eyes."

He did as I said.

"Imagine somebody you love - one of your parents - is in trouble. Maybe one of those rogue vampires is..."

I didn't need to say any more. Liam was on all four paws, snarling, hind legs bunched under him ready to spring. It had happened so fast I would have been willing to bet it made him dizzy and he shook his head now as if to prove it.

"Ok, now you just need to calm yourself enough to be stable, but not phase back," I said.

It took him a minute, but eventually his body relaxed and he closed his mouth.

"Now go find Wolf," I said. "You'll find him by smell or instinct and you'll be able to hear his thoughts and communicate with him that way. He was heading for the beach when he ran off."

Liam nodded slowly and turned away. With a few long-legged lopes he was out of the yard and heading for the coastal path and I sat down at the picnic table to wait and hope for the safe return of both boys.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - Thank you, as always, to everyone who is reading and enjoying the story. I was expecting the events of this chapter to progress faster than they have, so it hasn't got to quite the point I expected. Jake will have to wait just a little bit longer for his drama! ;o)**

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It was several hours before Liam and Wolf returned. Stuart and Linda became more and more worried as time passed and darkness fell and I had to persuade them that all we could do was wait for the boys to come back. Even if we went looking and succeeded in finding them, there wasn't much we could do faced with two giant wolves, one possibly still out of control. Wolf Lahote Senior had called once and merely said that his son was probably enjoying getting used to his new body and would be home when he was ready.

At last, however, the boys returned. Linda had switched on the light overlooking the back yard and we kept looking out of the kitchen window, watching for their appearance and suddenly they were there at the edge of the lawn, lurking in the shadows cast by the few trees; Liam with his silver-grey coat and Wolf dark enough to be mostly hidden, only his eyes shining out of the gloom. I turned the yard light off, grabbed two pairs of shorts and opened the door.

"You boys ok?" I called out.

Liam approached at once and halted a few feet from me, nodding his large furry head. I placed the shorts on the picnic table and returned to the kitchen to wait with Stuart and Linda. Within minutes, Liam was standing in the doorway wearing one pair of shorts.

"We're ok," he said. "Sorry we had you worried. Wolf took a while to calm down; he couldn't get control of himself. Nothing happened, we didn't even see anybody."

It occurred to me that Liam was considerably different from the rude and surly boy I had met such a short time ago, but his behaviour almost mirrored my own. I had been foul-tempered and unsociable leading up to my phase, knowing it was coming and fighting against it, but also fighting my own temperament, irritable with heat and the rising aggression of my inner wolf. Once I'd phased a few times, the rage seemed to be present only in wolf form. Liam had simply returned to his normal human state in the same way.

"Can he change back?" Stuart asked Liam.

"He's trying. I did like you said, Jake; he didn't listen to me at first, but eventually he did. I could see what was going on in his head; he's kinda..." He stopped suddenly and bit his lip, as if he realised he were about to betray a confidence. "He's angry, but he'll be alright. Mom, can I get something to eat, please? I'm starving."

"There's a pie in the refrigerator, honey," Linda said.

Liam went to get the pie and I remained by the door, looking out at the other wolf in the shadows. I couldn't see clearly, but it seemed like his head was lower than before, as if he were lying down. I turned my back, knowing how difficult it could be to phase when you felt as if you were being watched. It was a few more minutes before he was back in human form, pulling on the spare pair of shorts and hovering on the rear porch.

"Is it ok if I come in, Ms Clearwater?"

Linda nodded reluctantly and Wolf came in, taking a t-shirt Liam handed to him and then a slice of pie. The Lahote boy didn't seem to know what to say and fidgeted awkwardly, avoiding everybody's eyes. When he was done with the pie, I offered to drive him home and he accepted with a mumbled 'thanks'.

"Anything you want to talk about?" I asked in the truck, interrupting the silence after a few minutes.

"Not with you," he muttered under his breath.

"Fair enough. Whatever you're feeling though, I'm pretty sure I'd understand. Been there, remember."

"I doubt that."

"Wolf, I'm not your enemy," I sighed.

"You're fucking a _leech!"_ Wolf snarled rudely, his face a picture of disgust and I flinched despite myself. It could have been Paul sitting beside me.

"The Cullens aren't our enemies," I reminded him. "We're on the same side."

"You would say that. When are we going to get the chance to kill some of them? Real ones, I mean."

"Soon maybe. There's a group of four heading this way. Still hundreds of miles away, but moving fast."

"Hope they hurry up," grunted Wolf.

"You know, you are _exactly_ like your great-grandfather." I parked the truck in front of his house and killed the engine for a moment.

"That meant to be an insult?"

"No, it's an observation, Wolf. You look like him, sound like him, and you have exactly the same attitude."

"Didn't he like you either?" The boy raised an eyebrow.

"We had some problems. He got over it eventually."

"Only because your leech saved his Imprint; he probably felt obliged to back off."

"Maybe so," I said calmly. "See you tomorrow, ok?"

"I suppose." Sulkily he threw open the door of the truck and sprang out, slamming it behind him.

I drove off in the direction of the Cullens', keen to at least spend some time with Edward that day, even if it was only a couple hours. I was reasonably unmoved by Wolf's attitude, recognising it for what it was - a young shifter's rage coupled with a sour-tempered boy that I had already encountered once. There was no point fuelling the fire by condemning him - I was fairly certain he would get over it eventually.

I found Edward to be the only one home when I arrived at the house. I had sent him a few texts since Wolf phased, updating him and letting him know I couldn't leave until the boys returned safely. For once Carlisle was not working at the hospital and he had taken patrol with Esme himself. The others were all hunting, but Edward had fed earlier in the day and now we had the house to ourselves. We took full advantage of it, making love on the couch in his room, Edward sitting on my lap, knees either side of me, riding me fast and hard, his fingers tearing holes in the back of the piece of furniture as he clung to it. Afterwards we showered together, dressed and simply talked and cuddled, enjoying each other's company until I began to find it difficult to keep my eyes open and reluctantly left him to return to La Push.

The following day I went to see the Chief, the current Old Quil, who was my friend's son. His grandson was at school, but the old man confirmed that he had begun to show obvious signs of phasing just in the past few days, with sudden muscle growth, appetite and temperature. It seemed to be happening fast for him and it sounded like the pack would number three in just a few more days.

Liam and Wolf had both been kept out of school for the moment and young Quil came over to the house after he finished his classes. Liam got along well with him, but Wolf seemed to dislike him almost as much as he disliked me at first and I heard Quil confiding to Liam later that he hoped he wouldn't phase at all because he didn't want to have to spend most of his time with the hateful Lahote.

Quil did phase of course, the next weekend, into a chocolate brown wolf just like his predecessor. Wolf predictably found his colouring a source of amusement and teased him endlessly until Quil surprisingly sprang at his tormentor and knocked him down, telling him he better be glad they were in human form otherwise he'd be pulling teeth out of his flesh. Wolf laughed and got back on his feet, but he seemed to restrain himself a little afterwards and Liam advised later than he had told Wolf in no uncertain times to pull his head in. Liam was acting like an Alpha and I was impressed with how well he was taking to it, but at the same time saddened that I was still showing no signs myself. It seemed that it wasn't going to happen and I would just have to accept it.

The only other family on the Reservation which could possibly have a young wolf in their midst, was the Uleys. It was fairly unlikely that their girl would phase, but anything was possible; perhaps Leah had set a precedent. I took Liam to the Uleys' house to check things out and meet with the girl's parents, another Sam Uley and Melissa. Sam already knew about the development of the small pack and joked that he only wished he were younger so that he could have followed in his grandfather's footsteps.

"You don't think Emma will phase, do you?" he asked.

"Well, Leah was the only girl to ever phase, but that could be because other than her, all of the kids carrying the bloodline were male when there was a need for a pack," I said. "Have you noticed any changes in Emma?"

"None," Melissa said, shaking her head.

"How old is she?"

"Fifteen."

"Is she home?"

"Yes, will you bring her in, Liss?" Sam asked.

Melissa left the room and returned with their daughter, a tall, slender girl with a light caramel complexion and shining black hair tied in a loose braid which hung to her waist. She was dressed casually in jeans and a cotton blouse, her feet bare and I glanced over at Liam, noticing he was staring up at her, riveted. The girl was a beauty and it was no surprise he was showing an interest.

"Hey, Liam," she said with a shy smile. He didn't answer.

"They're in some of the same classes at school," Melissa said. "Emma's a year ahead of her age group; smart as well as pretty."

"Mom!" Emma hissed, blushing furiously.

"Liam?" I reached over and gave his shoulder a light shake and he turned to look at me with a slightly dazed expression.

"Wha...?"

"Shit," I cursed under my breath.

"What's going on?" Sam frowned.

"Um..." Liam turned as red as Emma and his eyes followed her longingly as her mother steered her out of the room again.

"Don't you be getting any ideas about her; she's fifteen!" Sam exclaimed.

"I...uh...I wasn't, Sir. Not like that. I mean...um...I like her..." stammered Liam.

I got to my feet, knowing I was going to have to say something.

"Sam, do you know anything about Imprinting?"

"Of course, we all do. My grandfather Imprinted on Grandma Emily. Damnit...you're not saying..." He looked past me at Liam. "You...! Out! Now! Get out of my house!"

"Sam, there's no need for that; it doesn't necessarily mean anything except that he'll want to protect her and..."

"I know what it means!" the man snarled. "She's too young to be thinking about anything like that and I won't have it! Now get the hell out of here, both of you!"

Liam got to his feet miserably and came to my side.

"I wouldn't do anything; I just want to be her friend," he said in a small voice.

"You're not going to see her unless it's at school. I'm not having her dragged into all of this. Like I said, she's too young for boys; she's going to finish school and go to college."

"If she phases..." I began.

"We already told you there are no signs of that. Now please leave. I have nothing more to say."

"But, Mr Uley..."

"Liam, let's go." I gripped his arm and led him to the door quickly. He walked sideways to the truck, staring back at the house in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Emma through one of the windows.

"What am I going to do?" he groaned.

"We'll figure something out. A protective father is going to make things difficult, but it could have been worse, believe me."

"How?" Liam sighed despondently.

"Look at me. Imagine me a hundred years ago, crazy about this girl and then...bam! I Imprinted on a male vampire."

"Fuck." Liam's brow wrinkled as he presumably imagined the same thing happening to him.

"Exactly. Look, I know how it feels and it is going to be hard for you mentally and physically, but we'll get around it somehow. You'll see her, even if you have to start off doing what I did when I Imprinted on Edward."

"What did you do?"

"Lurked outside of his house watching him through the window. So long as I could see him for a little while I was ok."

"Did he know you Imprinted?"

"No, not for some time. I was afraid to tell him. He was seeing the girl I'd had a crush on, but she died in a battle between the pack, the Cullens and an army of vampires. I was there for him and somehow he accepted that, even though we'd been enemies. The one you Imprint on feels the pull too eventually, although not so strongly. Emma's going to want to see you, trust me on that. The only thing that could break it is one of you dying, or her phasing and Imprinting on somebody else, which doesn't look likely."

"I need to go back to school," Liam said decidedly. "Then I can see her."

"I don't think you're ready for that."

"I _am_. I have a good reason to stay calm, right?"

"I guess you do."

When we arrived back at the house, Stuart and Linda had already learned that Liam Imprinted after an angry phone call from Sam Uley. Stuart had previously got along with Sam reasonably well and had managed to calm him down somewhat, but the man was still determined that Liam wouldn't be seeing Emma unless it was in class.

"You're not mad, are you?" Liam asked. "I couldn't help it. I just looked at her and...it happened."

"Of course we're not mad," Stuart said at once. "Fate chose her for you. She is very young..."

"Well, I don't want to marry her just yet," Liam said wrily. "But I do want to go back to school."

"I'm not sure about that," Linda said doubtfully. "What if something happens to make you angry?"

"It won't," the boy said firmly.

"I don't see any reason not to at least give it a try," I put in. "I know it's early days, but Liam seems to be handling all of this well - much better than I did. I think keeping him home, away from the girl, is going to do more harm than good."

Stuart smiled. "Not meaning to say anything against Edward, but it's a shame you won't have kids. You'd make a great father."

"Thanks." I grinned, surprised. I'd never even considered the idea of having children, even before Edward walked into my dorm room on campus and captured my heart for the second time. "Guess I'll just have to be a 'pack father' or something like that."

"Do you think you'll phase?" Liam asked.

"I doubt it; not now." I shook my head sadly. Surely if it was going to happen, it would have at least shown some signs by now.

Liam went back to school the next day. Wolf and Quil didn't and for once they spent a day together without getting into a fight or insulting each other. They hung out in the back yard with me for a while and then went surfing until hunger got the better of them. I lit the grill and Linda brought out thick steaks for me to cook while she prepared accompaniments. Liam returned not long after, a grin splitting his face in half, delightedly reporting that he had three classes with Emma and had managed to persuade her to sit with him. She wasn't happy with the way her Dad had spoken to him and had said she didn't intend it to stop them being friends.

"Did you tell her?" I asked him.

"No, I thought I'd wait a bit."

"Tell her what? That you want to get in her pants?" Wolf joked.

"Don't you talk about her like that! Just because you only think with your dick, doesn't mean everybody else does! Emma's a nice girl!" Liam snarled, shoving Wolf hard and knocking him from the bench beside the picnic table.

"Jeez, I was only joking. What's with you?" Wolf scrambled up, scowling.

"Alright, cool down, guys," I said.

"I Imprinted on Emma," Liam admitted.

"Seriously?" Quil's eyes widened. "Wow! What was it like?"

Liam's description reminded me of when I had Imprinted, although it hadn't been quite the same for me. I had looked into Edward's eyes over Bella's shoulder and felt myself being drawn to him - into him. Images of us together flashed into my head and I had come down to earth with a thump and a sick feeling of horror in my stomach that fate had chosen him for me. In an ideal world, I would get my chance over again - phase and become Alpha of this small new pack, look again into Edward's golden eyes and tie him to me for eternity, but I could only dream about it.

It was two days later that we had more news of the band of rogues. Carlisle had been in touch with colleagues in other hospitals, as well as all of us keeping up with current events and now we discovered that a group of hikers had been found dead in the mountains only three hundred miles away. The four young people were reported as having been killed by bears, but Carlisle discovered that their wounds weren't in keeping with bear attacks although as yet this was being kept out of the press. It was clear the rogues were still heading our way and were going to pose a threat to the local area before very much longer.

I brought the small pack over to the Cullens' house for training, not dissimilar from the session we had all undertaken in preparation for the newborn army so long ago. Wolf, of course, had plenty to say about this and was desperate to inflict injury on one of the Cullens, until he found himself subdued by Liam's Alpha order. I was proud of the young leader and tried not to feel left out as I watched the wolves and vampires sparring, remembering how I had once sparred with Edward, puncturing his chest with my claws, him responding by breaking my cheekbone and then the pair of us joking about it, to the astonishment of some of the others who knew how much we had hated each other. I had still been fighting the Imprint then.

Now Edward translated for Liam the same way he once had for Sam, while Jasper organised the mock fights and gave the young wolves instructions. When it was over, the pack returned to the Reservation, Carlisle went to the hospital and several of the other Cullens patrolled, leaving only Edward and Tanya at the house with me. She went off to her room and we went to ours, needing closeness after the adrenaline fuelled sparring session.

Edward undressed us both in seconds, tossing items of clothing left and right until he was bearing me down onto the couch, hands gripping my shoulders almost painfully, his erection grinding against mine, his lips crushing my own against my teeth. When he broke the kiss to let me breathe, my heart was racing and I was aching for him.

"Keen, aren't we?" I teased.

"Must have been that mock fighting. I was remembering when we did that."

"So was I," I said with a sigh. "I feel kind of useless that I can't be part of it."

"Don't. You are part of it, even if it's as my support and an advisor to the pack. This will all be over soon and then we can go back to our lives in PA - our future." He ran his icy hands down my back and shifted our positions, turning us so that I was on top, his legs parting to draw me between them. "Fuck me, Jacob, I need you."

My desire for him put my frustration with my situation to the back of my mind and I reached over the side of the couch to find the bottle of lube we had left there the last time. For once we didn't need foreplay or teasing; I simply coated myself in the slick substance and sheathed myself within him in one firm thrust and he arched under me, his hands squeezing my buttocks and tugging me in even deeper.

_"Fuck!"_ I hissed through my teeth. He felt so good; his tight cold tunnel gripping me, his chest cool against the heat of mine, chilly hands on my back sending shivers running the length of my spine. I drew back and snapped my hips forward, again and again, knowing I hit his prostate each time his eyes rolled back and he cried out, not caring if Tanya could hear us or not.

"God, Jake!" Edward groaned, sliding a hand between us to jerk himself off. "Feels so good...so hot..."

"You always...say that..." I panted, bracing my arms either side of him and raising myself so that I could fuck him harder. I was driving my shaft into him with quick thrusts, my thighs slapping against his and my balls bouncing, my skin covered in goosebumps from the feel of him. My orgasm was close and I pulled myself up onto my knees, lifting his hips so that I could get just another half-inch deeper into him, my eyes fixed on his pale erection as he pumped it frantically. I watched as his cum exploded from him, splattering onto his chest, his ass clenching around me, squeezing tight enough to force me over the edge and I held still, my hips jerking slightly as I spurted into him. I slid my hands under him then, pulling him up so that he sat on my lap, my cock still buried inside him and he folded his arms around my neck, his black eyes wide as they stared into mine.

"I know I always say that, but I meant it differently. You're really hot; more than usual. Your cock feels like it's on fire." He squeezed me lightly and then relaxed and my softening organ slipped from him.

"I don't feel hot."

He ran his hands down my back and then touched my face. "You're burning up. You feel like you used to feel; before."

"Don't."

"I mean it. Your temperature's up. I..."

"Stop it, Edward!" I shoved him backwards, off of me, and leaped to my feet. I wanted to believe it; I wanted to be burning up to one hundred and eight degrees, waiting for my wolf to surface, but I knew it wasn't true and I didn't understand why he would say that to try to make me feel better. That had to be the reason and what was the point, when nothing would happen and I would only be disappointed? Despite myself, his words had made me think about it; think about how cold he had felt when I pushed myself into him; how our contrast had seemed so much more intense than usual. I knew I was imagining it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I growled, dragging on my pants, forgetting about underwear. "You know how much I want that to be true, but it isn't! I'm trying to accept it, Edward, but you're not fucking helping!"

"I was telling the truth," he said softly. "I don't know if it's a sign or not, but your temper right now is kind of adding to it. I'm not trying to hurt you, I was just making an observation."

"Why would it happen now? I've had no signs, I haven't grown, the pack is already formed..."

"You've always had a lot of muscle, Jacob, it just might not show that way," Edward said. "Maybe it just took you longer. Or maybe I'm imagining it, but I don't think so." He got up and grabbed his discarded shorts to clean himself up. I waited until he was done and went to him.

"I'm sorry. I spoiled it." I tugged him towards me and slid my arms around his waist. "Forgive me. I don't even know why I'm pissed at you. You know how much I love you, right?"

"I know." His lips brushed mine and a shiver ran through my body. "I can't wait for all this to be over. Will you do something for me?"

"Of course."

To my surprise he stepped back and took my left hand, then in a swift movement slid my wedding ring off of my finger.

"Wait...Edward, what...?" I stared at him, shocked and hurt.

"Just in case." He turned away and opened a drawer, removing a long silver chain from it - the chain he had given me that Esme had retrieved with the two rings on it. Now he slid my ring onto it and returned to me, removing the shorter chain I wore and fastening the longer one around my neck.

"Edward, there's no need..."

"Please. For me? Just in case," he repeated.

I nodded and drew him into my arms again. I would do anything for him, as pointless as it seemed to me at that moment.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Angst warning - tissues may be needed! **

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I did my best not to dwell on what Edward had said, but it was impossible not to. I was constantly aware of how I felt and I analysed everything. Did I feel hot? Was I pissed over things that didn't matter? Was there any physical difference? Was I eating more? I could answer yes to all of those on some occasions, but on others I knew I was kidding myself. Edward was wrong. Perhaps I had been hotter that day, consumed with my desire for him.

I sighed heavily and looked out of Stuart's kitchen window at the three young wolves in the yard. A week had passed and Quil had returned to school with Liam, but Wolf remained home, volatile and a constant danger to those around him. The other two had just returned and were trying to persuade Wolf to listen to what they had learned that day, but he wasn't interested. He had no intention of going back to school and couldn't see the point. As I watched he leaped up from the picnic table and backed away from the others, exploded into his wolf form and fled.

"What's going on?" I asked, heading outside.

"I'm worried about Wolf," Liam said.

"He's just the same as his great-grandfather."

"Was there any particular reason for that?"

"Not that I remember. I don't think he got along too well with his Dad, but really he was just highly strung, I think. Imprinting settled him. Why?"

"I think there's something going on with Wolf; me and Quil both felt it last time we were all phased. He blocks his thoughts as if there's something he doesn't want us to know about."

"It's not easy to block your thoughts," I said thoughtfully, remembering the struggle I'd had in keeping my Imprinting from the rest of my pack and from Edward himself.

"I get the feeling he's scared of something. I mean, you wouldn't think it, would you? He's the toughest kid I know; he can pack a hell of a punch and now he has his wolf too, but I just get the feeling maybe...I don't know, could he be getting bullied?"

"By whom?" I thought of Wolf Senior, but he seemed to care about his son; he was certainly proud of him since he phased and anyone in their right mind who had a pack member for a son, wouldn't risk attack by mistreating him.

"I don't know. I don't think his Dad treats him badly," Quil said. "He was worse when he was at school, I think."

"Someone at school?"

"I've tried asking him if things are bothering him, but he always says no," Liam sighed.

"Then you're just going to have to accept that and keep an eye on him," I told him. "The trouble is, if someone's been hurting him physically, it would be difficult to see that now, you heal so fast."

"Will you talk to him, Jake?" the young Alpha asked. "Maybe he'd confide in somebody older."

"I can try." I doubted Wolf would say anything to me; I'd tried talking to him once before when I drove him home and he hadn't said a word except to insult me.

It was Saturday before I got the opportunity. Quil was home helping his family with some chores and only Wolf and Liam sat in the back yard, not talking, although Liam repeatedly glanced at Wolf with a thoughtful look on his face. I was sitting at the picnic table reading and I put the book down to peel my shirt off, the morning sun already blisteringly hot, unusually for Washington. Liam eyed me and then looked back at Wolf before getting to his feet.

"I could use a drink, do you want one, Wolf?"

"No."

The boy disappeared into the house and I got up, deciding to use the opportunity to speak to the surly Lahote. I took Liam's vacated place on the grass three or four feet away from him and he glanced at me suspiciously.

"Whaddya want?"

His face looked strained, I noticed, eyes shadowed from not enough sleep, jaw clenched, shoulders bunched with tension.

"Just wondered how you're getting on."

"With what?"

"Everything. The pack..."

"They're alright."

"How are things at home?"

"What's it to you?"

"Just asking."

"Why? You never usually talk to me."

"Well, today, I am."

Wolf scowled. "Haven't you something better to do? Like pawing your leech?" He shuddered and looked away from me.

"There's no need to speak to me like that. I don't mention Edward to you, do I?"

He shrugged.

"Wolf...if you have stuff bothering you, you can talk to us, you know. Me or Stuart, if Liam's...too young."

"What you getting at?"

"I don't know, Wolf. It seems to me like you have things on your mind. Liam thinks that too."

"He's been fucking gossiping about me?" he growled.

"He's just worried about you."

"Well, tell him to fuck off and worry about his Imprint! He's got no business poking his nose into my shit!" He jumped to his feet, clearly about to take off.

"Wolf, wait..." I reached up to grab his wrist, realising I had completely failed in getting him to open up, but not really surprised.

"Take your fucking hand off of me!"

Considering I had barely touched his arm, his reaction was out of proportion. A fist swung at the side of my head and missed only because I ducked at the last second. His booted foot didn't miss as it slammed into my leg just above the knee and then he was flying across the lawn, phasing mid-run and leaving scattered scraps of clothing as he disappeared.

"Fuck!" I hissed, rubbing my leg. If he'd put much more force into it, the bone would probably have snapped and I was going to have a hell of a bruise. Edward would be horrified.

Liam ran out of the house and came to me, having seen what happened through the window.

"Are you ok?"

"Don't worry about me." I got to my feet, flinching. "I think you're right; there is something going on with him, but he won't talk. You're just going to have to let him know that you're here for him and hope that if he needs it, he'll take you up on it. We can't force it out of him if he's blocking his thoughts."

"Yeah, I guess. Sorry, Jake. Is your leg ok?"

"I'm gonna have a bruise, that's all."

Predictably Edward was furious. He didn't see my leg for twenty-four hours, but when he observed the boot-shaped purple print on my thigh with even the tread visible, he was ready to tear Wolf's head from his shoulders. He didn't even ask me what happened, but pulled a replay of the scene out of my head.

"It's alright," I said.

"It's not alright!" he hissed. His eyes changed colour and he clenched his fists. "That jerk needs to be taught a lesson!"

"Edward, please, just leave it," I begged. "He's having some problems..."

"And that's an excuse to hurt you, is it?"

The enraged vampire paced rapidly around the room, spitting expletives under his breath while I finished changing ready to go to observe another sparring session. I was now dreading it, fearing Edward coming face to face with Wolf and losing control of himself.

By the time we actually reached the meadow where we had arranged to meet the pack, he had calmed somewhat, but I could see his temper still lurking beneath the surface and his eyes hadn't returned to their usual golden brown. I watched worriedly from the sidelines as the three boys arrived, Liam driving Stuart's truck. Edward ignored them and managed to avoid training with Wolf, however, when it was all over and the three wolves slunk behind the truck to phase back, suddenly the vampire was right there with them. I watched in alarm as he grabbed Wolf by the neck and slammed him into the side of the truck, unable to even attempt to save himself as he struggled to fasten his shorts, his clothing apparently more of a concern than his inability to breathe. Edward pinned him there, his back to the vehicle, eyes wide, now trying to claw himself free.

"Edward! Stop!" Carlisle ordered and Jasper focused his attention on Edward in an attempt to calm him. I ran to them, telling Liam and Quil not to phase again, grabbing Edward's arm.

"Let him go."

Edward backed off suddenly as if Wolf had burnt him and the boy stumbled to his knees, clutching his throat and gasping for breath.

"Fuck." Edward's eyes met mine. "I'm sorry; I didn't know."

"Know what?"

"That he's been..."

"Don't...say...anything!" Wolf panted desperately, pulling himself to his feet. "Don't you dare, Cullen!"

"Wolf..." Liam put a hand on his arm, but Wolf shook him off and backed away. In another moment he had phased again and was racing back in the direction of the Reservation.

"Edward, what did you see?" I asked.

"I'll tell you alone."

It was an hour before I learned what Edward had picked up from Wolf's mind. We were home in our room, most of the other vampires were downstairs and Emmett and Zara had gone hunting.

"His uncle's been abusing him."

_"What?"_

"His mother's brother; he's the sports coach in the Reservation school. It started off with bullying tactics when he was fourteen...taunting him into losing his temper and then giving him detentions..."

"And?" I prompted, horrified.

"The guy's been...forcing himself on him for months."

"Oh, God."

"He tells Wolf if he says anything, he'll tell his father he's a fag and Wolf Senior would disown him."

"That poor kid," I groaned. "No wonder he won't go back to school." It also explained the disgust he expressed when I first met him and he had commented on me being gay.

"It's not about that any more," Edward went on. "He's strong enough to stop it now, but he fears he'll kill the man if he touches him again. I know he told me not to say anything, but you'll have to do something about this, Jacob. His uncle could be doing this to other kids in the school."

"I know; I'll deal with it," I said at once.

How I would do that, I had no idea. Wolf would not thank me for interfering, but I would have to try talking to him again; try to convince him to tell his father what happened, or Stuart if he couldn't face Wolf Senior. I would wait until the next day when Wolf came over to Liam's house and speak to him then.

My thoughts were interrupted by my phone and the caller ID indicated it was one of my clients calling, no doubt wanting to know when they could come back to their training session. I answered and apologised, explaining that my break was going to last a little longer due to the fact that I was sick. I promised to call back within a few days to schedule some dates for resuming workouts and then hung up, hoping that would be the case.

The last we had heard, the rogues were two hundred miles away, but for the past three days there had been no more news - no killings, nothing. The Cullens had taken to patrolling further afield, but there was no sign and Jasper had suggested all of us, pack included, go looking for them to end the waiting, but Carlisle wouldn't hear of it. There was still a chance they would pass by and there was no sense going looking for a fight if it didn't come any closer. Personally, I agreed with Jasper. We were all coiled and tense, waiting for an attack that might never come, preparing to fight to protect the area, but to my mind, if there were only four of them, the coven and the pack could dispose of them easily and then we could all go back to our lives.

I ran a hand over my face, grimacing as it came away wet. I was sweating like a pig and my shirt was sticking to me, almost as if I'd been working out. I had been taking two or even three showers a day recently and it still wasn't enough. I had finally begun to believe that I was close to phasing, but it just wasn't happening fast enough and I feared that the danger would have been dealt with one way or another by the time I caught up.

I peeled the shirt off, grimacing at my musky smell. Edward eyed me with a frown and then moved closer, raising a hand to touch my chest. I shuddered at his icy touch and he took his hand away quickly, wrinkling his nose.

"I know, I stink," I said wrily.

"You're burning up and you smell..."

"Like stale sweat?" I pulled a face and headed for the shower.

"Like..." His eyes widened. "...dog." He followed me into the bathroom and watched as I turned on the cold water and stepped under it.

"I feel like I'm on fire," I said. "It's like it was before, but other than that, there are no signs yet."

"Maybe you can't see them, but I can. You haven't been training the last couple weeks since you've been here, but your muscles are harder, more defined...when we make love it feels like it did before. The heat of you is more intense; you're stronger, and you're angry sometimes over just...nothing."

I stared at him thoughtfully as I soaped myself. Was he right? Would my wolf emerge in time for me to take up my position in the pack after all?

I finished my shower and dried off, electing to wear a pair of cut-offs and nothing else, lest I start sweating again and have to change into more fresh clothes. I sat down on the bed and pulled Edward close to me, relishing the feel of his coolness against me. His lips caressed my cheek and he stroked his hands over my chest and back, his chilly touch making me sigh with pleasure and close my eyes, my blood quickly heading south towards my groin. I turned my head to capture his lips and had barely brushed mine over them before an enormous crash downstairs and an ear-splitting scream had us leaping apart.

"What the fuck...?" I gasped.

"Zara!"

Edward was out of the room and downstairs before I could blink and I followed as quickly as I could, halting on the stairs and surveying the scene below me. The floor of the hallway was littered with splintered wood and glass from the front door, in much the same way the porch had been covered in the fragments after Edward had smashed through the door the day I had first seen him as a vampire. Zara was pinned to the wall, thrashing and screaming while Jasper and Carlisle restrained her, Jasper's eyes fixed on her in an attempt to calm her. Taking a closer look at her, I could see a spider's web of cracks on one side of her face and neck and her shirt had almost been torn from her body, partly uncovering her underwear.

"What the...?"

"God, no! Emmett!" Edward was saying.

"Edward, what happened?" Esme and Charlotte gripped his arms, gazing up at him worriedly and a sick feeling filled me before he was able to answer. I just knew, before he said it.

"Emmett's gone."

Zara stopped fighting and slid down the wall to the ground, wailing and sobbing, beating her fists on the wood floor either side of her and splitting the boards. Jasper and Carlisle stepped back and Edward took their place, crouching in front of Zara, gripping her shoulders and pressing his forehead against hers. I stayed where I was, frozen in shock, waiting to find out the details of what had happened.

Eventually Edward got to his feet and Esme kneeled beside Zara, holding her and stroking her hair, her own face a mask of pain. It was inconceivable that we had lost Emmett and I slowly made my way down the last few stairs to Edward and slid my arms around him as he relayed what had happened from the scene in Zara's mind. They had been hunting, both thirsty after the sparring session, flitting through the trees northwards in search of prey. They travelled for perhaps an hour before they came upon a deer and in the absence of anything else, decided to share the animal. Emmett stood back and let Zara take it initially, but before she had managed to take even one mouthful of its blood, she picked up on the thoughts of the approaching rogues. They were close and there were six of them; somehow they had added to their number on their way south.

Leaving the deer on the ground, Zara sprang up to alert Emmett and the pair turned to face the approaching enemy, confident that with their combined strength, they could take out at least half of the group and drive off the others, but the rogues were strong, five of them newborns. They emerged from the trees at speed, splitting into two groups, four of them tackling Emmett together, seeing him as the bigger threat. Zara, trying to defend herself against the other two could only watch as Emmett tore the head from one of his attackers and was instantly overpowered by the remaining three. By a poor stroke of luck, the one he killed was the weaker of the group, the three remaining newborns fighting viciously, tearing at his neck and limbs. Struggling to defend himself from the three, he had been unable to go into attack mode and eventually succumbed.

Edward was shuddering in my arms and I held him tighter, my heart beginning to race with combined shock and anger. Emmett, the biggest, strongest one in the family, was gone. I clenched my fists behind Edward's back, my jaw clicking as I ground my teeth together. What we had been waiting for was on our doorstep and I was furious with myself that I couldn't stand at the family's side and avenge my brother-in-law's death.

"Jacob, will you call the pack, please," Carlisle said quietly.

"Of course."

I let go of Edward reluctantly and pulled my phone out to call Liam. Carlisle blurred into his surgery and returned with several blood packs, handing them around although Zara refused hers. None of the family had hunted since the previous evening and after the sparring session, they weren't at full strength. With five newborns to contend with, it was going to be a hard fight. Zara had caused some injuries to the two that had attacked her, but she hadn't managed to overpower either of them and had been lucky to escape with her life.

"Do you think they'll have followed Zara back?" Charlotte was asking.

Edward nodded. "It's likely."

"We all need to be ready." Carlisle turned to me as I put my phone away again. "Are they coming?"

"Liam and Quil are on the way. They don't know where Wolf is, but they phased and are..."

I paused as we all heard a distant howl coming to us through the destroyed door.

"...calling for him," I finished.

"We should have been more prepared for something like this," Jasper groaned. "This is my fault."

"It's nobody's fault," Carlisle told him. "All we can do is be ready when they get here. I want everyone outside. Jacob, upstairs."

"Damnit," I muttered. "I'm too late."

"There isn't anything you can do," Edward added.

"I know! Fuck!" I reached for him again, ignoring the others around us. "I can't lose you again, Edward. Be careful, please..." Angry tears were filling my eyes and I brushed them away impatiently.

"We'll be ok," Edward said firmly. His cold arms wrapped around me and he hugged me tight enough to stop me breathing for a moment. "Stay safe. I love you."

"I love you too."

A snarl from the porch indicated the arrival of Liam and Quil, and Edward let me go, placing a brief kiss on my lips before he turned towards the wolves.

"Liam says Wolf is on his way; they can hear his thoughts."

"Good. Everybody outside now," Carlisle instructed. "Esme, I want you to stay with Zara..."

"No! I'm alright, I'm coming with you." Zara visibly shook herself and snatched one of the remaining blood packs from Tanya. "If I can take out even one of those fuckers, it'll be worth it," she spat.

"Edward, Tanya, I want you both to stay close to Zara," Carlisle said. "Esme, with me; Jasper and Charlotte, stay together. We have the wolves as back up. Remember, there are five of them; don't underestimate their strength."

"They clearly underestimated ours." Zara gulped the contents of the blood pack and picked up another.

"Zara, if you're not up to this..." Esme began.

_"I am!"_

"She's ok," Jasper said. "We all have to be. As hard as this is, Emmett would understand us putting him aside until after..."

I could only watch, impotent and frustrated as the vampires headed out of the house, quickly joined by Wolf who came scampering up the driveway, teeth bared, skidding to a halt at Liam's side. Then I reluctantly did as Carlisle told me and retreated upstairs, cursing over and over that I couldn't be part of this. I went into Tanya's room which was at one of the rear corners of the house, a window in each of the outer walls giving me a view of a large area in the direction the vampires and wolves were heading. They moved towards the treeline in groups and I scanned the trees ahead, searching for some sign that the small newborn army was approaching. Our own army had to be enough; the odds were in our favour, compared to the numbers involved before, when Victoria had brought dozens of newborns which my pack and the Cullens had defeated with few injuries.

I paced angrily, clenching and unclenching my fists, the muscles in my arms popping, beads of sweat bursting from every pore. If fate was so keen for Edward and me to have our lives together, why was it doing this to us? Why was I being left behind? I slammed my fist into the wall beside the window and the plaster crumbled, a large chunk falling to the floor.

"Shit!"

I was panting, my heart thundering so loudly I could hear it in my head and I was burning up. My chest felt tight as if a steel band were being pulled around it and I clutched at my throat, struggling to suck air into my lungs.

"Fuck...come on..." I muttered.

This was how it had felt before; I could remember exactly. That first time I phased although back then I had been struggling to suppress it, breathing deep to calm myself, fighting to keep the wolf inside me from breaking out. A growl burst from my lips and I looked out of the window again, straining to see what was happening. Everyone hovered, awaiting what appeared to be the imminent arrival of the rogues and time seemed to stand still. A minute passed and then another, the only sound being my pounding heart. Then suddenly there were movements in the trees, blurring bodies and the Cullens were no longer standing still, but becoming part of what was happening, all of it too fast for me to track with my eyes. Liam, Wolf and Quil left the ground as one and sprang, all of them taking down a single vampire, tearing off arms, legs and head. My heart was in my mouth, almost choking me as I turned my gaze from them, desperately trying to see Edward amongst the blur of vampires. They could be hurting him and here I stood, useless, on the cusp of changing, but not there yet.

"Come out, you fucker!" I snarled at my reflection in the glass. "Do you want Edward to die? Again?"

It happened so fast that it took my breath away. I was enraged, desperate, sick with fear and suddenly I was in agony, my body shaking, legs crumpling beneath me, my head feeling like it may explode. I looked down at a pair of large russet coloured paws, my head spinning and my heart continuing to thunder in my ears as it took me a few seconds to register that I was finally a wolf. I shook myself vigorously, trying to shake the dizziness out of my head and staggering slightly, catching sight of myself in Tanya's mirror. I almost filled the space between her bed and the dresser and if I threw my head up, it would have hit the ceiling. I was huge, bigger than before, probably around the size Sam Uley had been.

I pulled myself together, realising I was wasting precious seconds. I bunched my back legs under me and sprang, the power in my muscles launching me at the window, outstretched front paws smashing through the glass and sending a shower of splinters to the lawn below while my body soared through the air and landed heavily on all four paws twenty feet below. Instantly I could smell the enemy, the sickly sweet stench of vampires that almost made me gag and I remembered the taste as if it had been yesterday; rotting flesh, lingering on the tongue long afterwards no matter how you tried to get rid of it. They were all around me and I raced forwards, letting out a growl that drew the attention of several of the fighting creatures in front of me.

I noticed a brown-haired male, his hands gripping the neck of a blonde female while another smaller male attempted to tear his head from his shoulders and I sprang, taking down all three with my weight and momentum. The smaller male flew way from me and I clamped my jaws around the head of the other, crushing his skull and ripping it clear of the neck, tossing it behind me and turning my attention to the blonde.

"Jacob!" she exclaimed and I took a step forward, snarling.

"Christ, Tanya, get away from him!" someone shouted and the female blurred backwards into the trees and out of my reach.

_"Jake...Jake...you made it!"_ a young boy's voice was saying in my head and I recognised Quil, the smaller brown wolf moving to my side.

_"Attack!" _I growled back, startled by the sound of my own voice as it rumbled deeply to the other wolves without a sound coming from my mouth.

_"Liam?" _Quil questioned.

_"Do as he says, he's Alpha now," _the silver grey wolf responded, without a trace of resentment in his voice.

Quil jumped away from me and I advanced again, swinging my head left and right, searching for my next victim amongst the blur in front of me. I was losing myself, rational thought slipping away and being replaced by the instinct of the animal whose body I inhabited. I knew I wasn't myself, but when I shook my head to clear it, nothing happened except that the sickly stench of vampires filled my nostrils with the next breath I took and I wanted only to kill.

A leech appeared right in front of me and I launched myself instantly, extending my front paws and taking the creature in the chest, bearing it to the ground beneath me, steeling myself against the smell and the taste I knew would come in a few seconds. My claws punctured the vampire's shirt and embedded in his chest and his hands gripped my scruff, holding me at arm's length with impossible strength as I snapped at his face.

_"Jacob, no! Stop!" _Liam shouted in my head.

"He's out of control; it's happened too fast," another voice said. "His wolf's in control of him."

"Jasper, can you stop him?"

"Fuck, Jacob, what the hell are you doing? That's Edward!"

I looked down at the pale face below me, black eyes staring into mine, the deathly smell emanating from his cold skin and my claws pressed deeper, causing his face to grimace in discomfort.

"Jacob," he said quietly, arms shaking with the effort of holding my jaws away from him. "Remember who you are. Remember who _we_ are. I love you."


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

I could dimly hear screams and howls behind me as the remaining newborns were destroyed and at the same time several voices were calling my name, some aloud and some in my head, but it was only the vampire beneath me that I listened to.

"Jacob, we started just like this; wolf and vampire first, then we returned as humans, but we've come full circle. This is what fate meant for us. You're my husband, Jacob. Take control; you can do it the same way I did last year when I first turned...nothing would have made me hurt you then and you won't hurt me now."

His hands loosened on my scruff and one ran along my jaw, perilously close to my teeth. I stared into his face and I remembered everything in a flash of rapid images that made my head spin. Edward sitting on the mountain after Bella died, his fingers pulling at my fur as I attempted to comfort him with my presence; holding him in the cell in Volterra, convinced we were both dying; falling in love; our first wedding, just the two of us on the cliff; making love; the battle in our own home; having him walk into my life almost a hundred years later and repeating the part where we fell in love and married, this time in front of our families; planning our future together. Now here I was, about to tear his head from his shoulders and end what could have been our eternity just because he looked and smelled the same way the intruders had.

My eyes slid from his face to my front paws and I retracted my claws slowly, shuddering as I felt them pull free of his hard flesh. He flinched visibly and I heard myself whimper. I had hurt him and I was suddenly in an agony of shame and remorse. My wolf drew back altogether and I found myself crouching over him, human and naked.

"Jacob!" He sat up, gripping my arms, his hands ice cold on my skin and I remained sitting on his lap, raising my eyes to meet his jet black orbs again, horrified by what I had done.

"Edward, I..." I couldn't speak.

"It's alright," he whispered. "We're alright."

Then it happened again, and this time it was different because it was what I wanted more than anything in the world. I felt myself being drawn into him as if by a steel cord; something unbreakable tying me to him for the rest of my life. I could see our future stretching ahead of us with me bringing out my wolf every so often to keep me young; we would have our careers, see the world as we moved on somewhere new every few years; there would be some pain as I watched my parents and sisters age and die, but Edward would always be with me, wherever we were. He was my soul mate; my husband; _my Imprint._

"Jacob! Jake!"

He was shaking me and I came back to the present and refocused on his beautiful face. Tears were dripping from my chin onto my chest and I covered my face with my hands, mortified to hear myself sobbing, but I was no more capable of stopping it than I had been of controlling my wolf a few moments ago. Edward's chilly arms wrapped around my torso and cool breath brushed my ear while I trembled and wept and gasped for breath, my chest a tight knot of pain from the eight small injuries I had inflicted on him.

"It's ok, don't worry, they're already healing, there's no harm done," Edward was saying softly.

I raised my head slowly and scrubbed the tears from my hot face.

"I Imprinted," I snuffled.

"I know."

I was flooded with relief. One of my biggest fears about this had been that I might phase and cast my eyes on someone else, fate seeing fit to play a cruel game and end my love for him, but it really had meant for us to be together always.

"I feel terrible," I muttered. "I hurt you. I'm so sorry; my wolf completely took over."

"It doesn't matter," Edward repeated. "I'm ok."

"You're not, I can feel the pain." I pulled the fronts of his shirt apart and grimaced at the sight of the small black wounds in his white skin.

"Stop it, it's nothing."

I raised my hand to his face and ran my fingertips along his cheekbone and down to his jaw, marvelling at the fact that he no longer smelled like death to me. Had the Imprint really been all it took? It was one thing I couldn't really remember about the last time. I leaned in and brushed my lips lightly over his, tasting cool sweetness.

"Don't, not now." He let go of me and shrugged the shirt off quickly. "Put this around yourself."

"Fuck." I was reminded that I was sitting on his lap stark naked in front of everybody else and I got up carefully and tied the shirt around my waist to cover myself as best I could. Edward slid his hand into mine and we turned to look at the others who were standing nearby.

"We got them all," Jasper said, pulling out a cigarette lighter. "I'm going to burn the remains."

"Emmett!" Zara exclaimed suddenly, lifting her hands to cover her mouth.

"We need to find him," said Carlisle. "Jacob, you had better wait here." He eyed my almost naked state and I felt my face burning.

"I have to be there. I'll phase again."

"Maybe not such a good idea," Tanya said. "You almost had me too."

"I'm sorry, Tanya," I grimaced. "I'll be fine now, I promise."

"He Imprinted," Edward said with a smug look and I realised from the others' expressions that they wouldn't have known what was happening, although Liam had probably picked up on it, if he hadn't been too busy killing something.

I gave Edward another soft kiss and then backed away. I still felt terrible for having hurt him and I knew the other Cullens were going to be wary of me for a while, wondering if I would be able to control myself. I turned my back, untied Edward's shirt from my waist and walked a short distance from the others, my nose wrinkling at the sudden smell of burning as Jasper lit the broken bodies on fire.

I closed my eyes and visualised myself in wolf form and immediately it happened. This time there was no pain, only an intense heat rolling through me and then I was on all four paws, snarling at the ground. I swallowed the growl and walked slowly towards Edward, my head on a level with his. I could still smell the other vampires, sickly sweet and cloying in my nostrils, but Edward was different and I pushed my muzzle against his shoulder, closing my eyes again briefly as he stroked my fur and scratched one of my ears. Reluctantly I stepped away from him and joined the other wolves, immediately hearing a jumble of thoughts from them; relief that we had killed the newborns with no injuries to ourselves; shock over my sudden phasing and the fact that I had almost killed Edward; delight for me from Liam that I Imprinted and slight disgust from Wolf at the image of me sitting naked on Edward's lap. I shut my thoughts down before they progressed to Wolf's predicament, but I knew I would have to talk to him and try to help him. Other than Edward, I was the only one who knew and as his Alpha, he would eventually listen to me.

Zara took off into the forest at the speed of sound, Edward easily keeping pace with her while the other vampires followed behind and I led the pack in their wake, all of us racing at full speed in order not to get left behind. It didn't take Zara long to find the spot where Emmett had been killed and I prepared myself to look upon his broken body, limbs scattered in the undergrowth the way the newborns' had been, but there was nothing, only a blackened patch of ground where his remains had been burned. Edward came to my side and leaned against my shoulder and each of the others sought out their partner for comfort. Only Zara stood alone, weeping tearlessly as she picked up a wristwatch she had given Emmett one Christmas.

_"How could this happen?" _she screamed suddenly. "He was stronger than any of us. Didn't he survive two battles before? Why now? It's not fair!"

Jasper went to her and I knew he was using his ability to try to calm her, but she shoved him angrily in the chest and stepped back.

"Don't you dare do that! I want to _feel!_ If I don't feel, it's like he didn't matter. Don't you understand?"

She turned suddenly and pulled a sapling up by the roots, hurling it into the trees with a deafening crash. All of us could feel her agony and it was Edward who went to her then, grasping her wrists before she could continue destroying the foliage, communicating with her silently, mind to mind. She paced and clenched her fists and wept, but she eventually became calmer and I..._I was jealous._

I was furious with myself for feeling such an emotion at a time like this, but I couldn't help it and I knew it was because of the Imprint. Edward was the only one who could comfort Zara at this moment as they continued a completely silent conversation that no one else was privy to and I hated that he could connect with her like that; I hated to see their eyes locked, his hands holding hers, his attention so focused on her that he was no longer aware of my presence. I clenched my jaw until it ached to suppress the growl which was struggling to burst from me and I determinedly shut my mind down, lest Edward should pick up on my thoughts. They were ridiculous and unreasonable; she had just lost her husband and the family had lost a son, a brother, and here I stood, enraged that it was _my Edward_ who was her source of comfort.

_"It's not unreasonable," _Liam's voice whispered in my head. _"I can't even bear it when Emma sits with her friends instead of me."_

_"I know; I've been here before, remember?"_

_"I'm sorry, Jake."_

_"Don't be. I'm being a jerk. Emmett was my brother too; we all loved him...I have to think about something else before Edward picks up on this; he'll only be hurt."_

Eventually, we all began to make our way back to the house, much more slowly than the way we had left it. Once it came into sight, the three young wolves left us to go back to the Reservation and Carlisle quickly turned to the practical and called someone to fix the front door and Tanya's window. Jasper fetched me some clothes and I phased back quickly and dressed, looking around for Edward, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Edward?"

"With Zara."

_"Damnit!"_ I snarled, slamming my fist into the house wall before I could stop myself. My knuckles split and dripped blood and Jasper frowned slightly, staring at me until I felt my anger begin to drain away.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked quietly. "She needs somebody, she just lost her mate. It just so happens they're both mind-readers and that's obviously helping her..."

"I know," I groaned. "I can't help it. A few hours ago, I wouldn't have cared one bit; I'd have encouraged him to be with her. It's the Imprint; it makes wolves irrational."

"What are you feeling?" Jasper asked.

"You don't want to know; I feel like a jerk as it is," I grumbled.

"Tell me."

"I'm fucking jealous. I hate him being with her; not just her, anybody. It's a physical pain..." I tapped my chest. "...in here. There; you asked me. Now you can tell me to get hold of myself and stop being a fucking..."

"Jake, I don't think you're being stupid; I guess Imprinting is similar to us finding a mate. It's for life; it's not so much a choice as a connection that forms, which doesn't break unless one of the pair dies. I've been more lucky than most and found that three times and after Alice and then Alexa, I know exactly how Zara is feeling right now. She wants to follow him, if she has to do it by tearing herself to pieces or lighting herself on fire. Edward went to Volterra to die, remember? They would have torn him apart and burned him if you and Alice hadn't gone after him. Only your Imprint saved him then."

"What saved you?" I asked.

"The first time...Alexa did. I turned her and then I had a responsibility. When she died, I almost did too. I kept going because I felt guilty for having put the others through so much shit already since I came to them. It faded, eventually, but it never went away until I found Charlotte. You're hurting right now, but Edward is just a few yards away and he's going nowhere. You're just going to have to bear it for a while, because right now it seems like he's the only one able to help her."

I sighed heavily and nodded. "I get it; I do. I've spent months praying for my wolf to come out so I can stay young to be with Edward, and now it's here it's fucking killing me." I laughed awkwardly. "Thanks, Jasper. I know you don't need this shit right now."

"It's alright. The worst thing is, you stink like a fucking wet dog." He grimaced and smiled slightly. "I hope as much as you do that Zara won't need Edward for long, so you can go back to PA and we can all breathe again."

"Jeez, thanks; you know you smell pretty revolting yourself."

I took on board what Jasper said and I told myself over and over that Zara losing Emmett wouldn't be too dissimilar from me losing Edward all those years ago. The pain had almost killed me and probably would have done eventually if I hadn't hurried things up by attacking the Denalis and prompting them to end it quickly so that I could follow him. I raided the kitchen for food to fuel my hungry inner wolf and then retired to our old room, not wanting to join the other Cullens in the main lounge for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I didn't really feel part of things; of course Emmett was dear to me and I was crushed that he was gone, but I still felt like an outsider which I suppose I was - a wolf in a camp of vampires. In addition I knew I would make things uncomfortable for them if my smell surrounded them and the same for me - five vampires together in an enclosed space wasn't pleasant and finally, Edward wasn't with them and that made me feel even more awkward.

I sat on the couch in the room, trying to watch television and ignore the pain in my chest and thinking about the first time this happened. My feelings had developed gradually, beginning with the need to see Edward every so often, something that I had fought against until my body couldn't cope with it any longer and I had to accept that I needed him. Slowly we had become friends and I had hoped and prayed that would be enough. This time, the feeling inside me was instantaneous. Less than an hour after I Imprinted, I was seething with rage and jealousy that Edward was paying attention to Zara and not me and I wondered if it had something to do with the fact that I already loved him more than life itself. I fingered the ring on its long chain around my neck and decided that had to be the reason. It was all I could do not to fly out of the room, run to Zara's and drag him out of there to appease my discomfort.

I waited hours. The hands crawled around the clock face on the wall and I fidgeted and sweated, eventually heading into the bathroom to shower and put on fresh clothes as I soaked the ones I was wearing. I stood under the cold water while steam rose from my body until thirty minutes had passed and then put on only a pair of shorts and paced the room, trying to talk myself out of the way I was feeling while my heart ached in my chest as if it were being squeezed in a vice-like grip. Edward was just yards away in one of the other rooms, but he could have been on the other side of the country for the way I was feeling. I only hoped the intensity of my feelings would settle down over time and become the way it had before, otherwise how could we even contemplate living our lives without constantly being in each other's company?

At last the door opened and he came in, his face drawn and eyes black and I had to steel myself not to run at him and crush him in my arms. I pushed my thoughts down as far as I could into the back of my mind and blocked them from him. It was impossible to do that as a human, but after the first phasing, it had been something I had learned to do very well the first time I Imprinted on him. Now it was shame that made me hide my feelings from him; shame over my uncontrollable jealousy and anger. He looked terrible and the last thing I wanted was to add to it.

"Edward..." I went to him slowly and slid my arms around him, stroking one hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry I've been so long. I seem to be the only one that can help Zara right now. You know, the mind-reading thing." He leaned against me somewhat weakly and his cold hands came to rest on the heated skin of my back. I relished it and held him closer.

"It's alright, I know. Jasper was telling me what it's like for a vampire to lose its mate. Similar to us losing our Imprints, I guess. I understand how she feels."

"She wants to die." His body began to shake in my arms and I felt a knife of pain, totally different from the persistent ache of his absence, as I realised he was crying. "Sorry," he choked. "I'm exhausted. He was my brother too and I..." He broke off and sobbed and I scooped him up and moved over to the couch, lowering both of us onto it, my own feelings quickly forgotten. I held him until he fell silent and simply lay against me, unmoving except for a slight shiver now and then and I tipped his head back, eyeing the deep purple of his eyelids.

"Look at me."

He opened his eyes slowly, revealing that they were still jet black and I knew it wasn't only his distress now.

"You're thirsty."

"I'm alright."

"You need to feed, Edward. You're upset and if you're absorbing Zara's pain too, it'll only weaken you faster."

"I'll get something from the surgery later," he murmured.

"I doubt there's much left; Carlisle gave everyone packs before the battle, remember?"

"Then I'll wait; he'll replenish them soon enough."

"No, you won't. Making yourself sick won't help anyone. Will you hunt with me?"

"Uh..." I expected him to immediately say no, but after a brief pause he nodded. "Ok."

I heaved a sigh of relief and got to my feet, pulling him up. None of the others approached us as we left the house and I dropped my shorts right outside and phased quickly.

_"Remember when we used to do this before?" _I thought.

"I remember."

We began to head north again, me loping along easily beside Edward, quickly realising that separating my thoughts and only letting out the ones I wanted him to catch was pretty difficult. I had managed it once before, but it took some getting used to and I worried I would let slip how I had felt for the past few hours. In human form it wasn't so bad because Edward didn't invade my head that often, but now he had to do it in order for us to communicate.

"Let slip? What's wrong, Jacob?" Edward asked.

_"Nothing, my mind's just a jumble over everything that happened today. I got everything I wanted and yet we're all in shock over Emmett."_

"Don't hide things from me, Jacob, I know there's more to it than that. You were feeling something while I was with Zara."

_"Damnit. Jealousy. Stop thinking."_

"You were jealous?" Edward said incredulously, halting suddenly and turning to look at me.

I groaned inwardly. _"It's not quite the way that sounded. Of course I know you're helping Zara; I know how she must be feeling, I know you being able to communicate by thought is better than...hell, if I hadn't phased...no, if I hadn't _Imprinted_ then I'd be fine. It makes me irrational, that's all. You must be able to remember. It kills me not being with you and knowing you're with somebody else, whoever that is and for whatever reason. I'm sorry."_

"Jacob, I was just yards away from you, with only a wall between us," Edward said.

_"I know that; I told you it's irrational. That's why I was hiding my thoughts; I feel like an idiot for being jealous over something like that, but I can't help it."_

"I'm sorry. If I'd realised how I was making you feel..."

_"You'd have been with me instead of her?" _my mind blurted before I could stop it and Edward frowned.

"No, but I would have talked to you first."

_"Like that would have helped. Fuck it." _I was furious with myself. I could no more control my thoughts than he could survive without blood and I sank onto my haunches and hung my head. _"I'm so sorry. I'm not trying to fight with you. This is all new to me again and I can't control either myself or my stupid brain."_

"Jacob, I love you, you know that. You're my life; my husband; my mate; all you could possibly be to me. I'm not going to call you out on this because I know how the Imprint's affecting you; you explained it to me once and I eventually felt some of what you feel too. I guess I will again. Just know that I will need to spend more time with Zara, but I'll try not to let it keep me from you for long periods..."

I didn't answer, determinedly squashing down everything before I let out another foolish response. Edward didn't deserve my attitude and I needed to get control of myself properly. I'd had time to get used to my wolf the first time before I had Imprinted and then everything else had happened gradually. This time it had all hit me between the eyes and I was a mess.

"It's ok," Edward said softly and I realised he had moved close to my side when his hand suddenly cupped my ear and stroked firmly. "I do understand, you know."

_"I'll be better tomorrow, or the next day. I love you. Just ignore me until then, please. I mean, ignore what I think. Hunting together with probably be a bad idea; if I'm human I can just ask you to keep out of my head."_

"So let's get on with this and go home."

We moved quickly and silently together until we came upon a deer almost hidden in the foliage and we halted simultaneously, Edward's nostrils flaring as he caught the scent of the animal's blood. I stayed motionless and allowed myself the small pleasure of watching him fly through the air suddenly and pounce on the deer, bearing it to the ground and sinking his teeth into its neck. So long ago I had watched him do exactly this and been filled with admiration by his speed and grace and for the past year since he was turned again, I hadn't been able to do that. Now my eyes remained fixed on him as he fed and eventually stood, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand although he hadn't spilled even a drop. He walked slowly back to my side, his eyes changing from black to gold and a faint flush colouring his face as it often did immediately after feeding from a living creature.

"Aren't you hunting too?" he asked.

_"No, I ate half the contents of the refrigerator when we got back to the house."_ I pictured the large meat pie, the dish of potato salad and the whole baked cheesecake I had shovelled down my neck and Edward chuckled suddenly.

"I forgot how much you ate as a wolf."

_"I forgot how efficient you are when you hunt; how graceful..."_

"Shut up." Edward gave my shoulder a shove. "I'd blush if I were human."

We headed home at a steady pace and in companionable silence. I felt relaxed and much happier than when we had set out, despite the sadness over the loss of Emmett still filling my mind. Being at one with my Imprint gave me an enormous sense of satisfaction and I couldn't wait to get back to our room, to spend more time just being together.

Edward stood a little distance from me as I phased back and pulled on the shorts I had left beside the house wall earlier and I grasped his hand as we walked in through the missing door. Charlotte appeared in a second, her face anxious.

"Edward, where've you been?"

"Hunting, why?"

"Can you go see Zara? Jasper's with her, but he's not much use, she won't let him calm her. We keep hearing her crying; no one knows what to do."

Edward nodded quickly. His cool lips glided along my cheek bone in a ghost of a kiss and then he pulled his hand free of mine and was gone. A second later I heard Zara's door open and close and Jasper came down the stairs and at once my chest tightened again as jealousy spiked through me. I clenched my fists and walked away from the two vampires without a word, heading up to our room alone.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N As always, thank you to everyone who is reading the story. I've now set up a Facebook page for my writing, which will include updates, photos to illustrate the stories and notes on future plans. Feel free to check it out and follow me:- facebook com / hankslady**

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I kept telling myself I was being unreasonable, that Edward was mine and I would now have him for centuries rather than decades, that he was just yards away from me and that I was lucky to have someone with such a heart of gold. Zara was distraught over Emmett; everybody could feel and hear her pain and Edward was the only one who seemed to be able to help her with his silent comfort, but reminding myself of this over and over didn't make me feel better. My chest ached and I continued to pace and sweat, watching the clock as the hour hand worked its way around and around and still I remained alone. My wolf was lurking just below the surface, growling at the situation, anxious to come out and I was tempted to leave the house and release him, but then I would only be further away from Edward.

_"Fuck!"_ I hissed under my breath. He must know how I was feeling. He knew exactly how an Imprint felt; I had described it to him before and he had felt it too in a milder form, but he probably thought it was a gradual thing like it had been the first time. I had managed not to let on the extent of what I was feeling earlier, but maybe I should have told him; maybe I should just go tell him now that it was killing me. Saying that I was jealous seemed to have made light of things.

I talked myself out of it quickly. Edward was doing what he could to help his sister-in-law feel better and if he knew how I suffered, it would only make him feel guilty and torn. I needed to do something constructive to pass the time and take my mind off of it as best I could and when I thought about this, I realised there was plenty that I should have been doing.

I was now Alpha and had a small pack on the Reservation which I hadn't yet addressed properly. They wouldn't know whether I intended to take the role seriously, or if Wolf and Quil should continue following Liam, despite the fact that he had already stepped down in front of the others. Whether or not there would ever be another threat to deal with, I still needed to take responsibility and talk to the boys.

In addition, I had to talk to Wolf alone and that was something I wasn't looking forward to. I knew he wouldn't want to talk to me about anything, much less his uncle's abuse, but it needed to be addressed. Even if Wolf was safe from it now, it would still be affecting him and the man could be doing the same thing to other kids in the school.

I opened the door and slowly headed along the landing to Zara's room, tapping lightly on the door. Edward opened it in a second and I glanced past him, noticing her sitting on the floor in a corner with her eyes closed, her face a mask of agony. Her eyes snapped open suddenly and met mine and a look of surprise and then remorse touched her features.

"Edward..." she murmured.

He glanced over his shoulder, but didn't say anything.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm going over to the Reservation," I said. "I need to have a proper talk to the boys; especially Wolf."

"You'll do great," Edward said at once.

"I'm not so sure about that, but I need to do something."

"I'll see you later then."

He leaned in closer and brushed his lips over mine briefly and I sighed with relief before I stepped back and closed the door again. I jogged down the stairs and passed a couple of men fitting a new front door as I went out. Poor Emmett; he had fitted a new bedroom door for Edward and me in minutes and these guys had been at it for hours.

It was as I ran down the porch steps to the driveway that I noticed something was different; something that I had overlooked until now. I was running straight and without any effort; my leg, with its permanent limp, seemed as good as new. I headed around the corner of the house at a run, paying attention to the way my leg moved and how my foot landed and confirmed that it was definitely better. I wasn't dragging my foot slightly the way I had been and I smiled to myself. I should have known there was a possibility this would happen, but it had been the last thing on my mind up to now.

I approached the group of parked vehicles, but then hesitated. My wolf was still anxious to be released and I knew if I phased, Stuart or Liam would be able to give me something to wear. I stepped out of sight behind Emmett's truck and quickly shed my clothes, leaving them there for my return and then moved away from the vehicle so that I didn't cause any damage when I phased. I didn't even have to think about it; the animal burst out of me in an explosion of fur, claws and teeth in a second and I found myself panting and baring my teeth at nothing again. I shut my mouth and swallowed, looking around me and realising that immediately I felt better. I still ached for Edward, but the discomfort was less, as any type of pain was in wolf form, except for the loss of an Imprint.

I took off at a steady lope in the direction of the Reservation, taking the time to acknowledge the feel of my wolf's powerful muscles moving me forwards, the thump of my large paws on the ground, the feel of the breeze ruffling my fur and I allowed myself to enjoy being this creature that I had hoped so much was still inside of me somewhere. Finally he had emerged and I could call on him any time I wanted. I could serve as a protector if needed; I could hunt with Edward; I could be with him physically without him having to worry about hurting me the way he had for the past year. I would celebrate my birthdays the same way the Cullens did, but I would remain twenty-three physically and finally, I could stop worrying that I would leave my vampire behind. I felt a pang of longing in my chest, but I determinedly suppressed it. Edward wasn't going anywhere; the Imprint was causing me physical pain, but I would get over it and simply miss him the way I had before when we were apart.

I realised I had already reached the Reservation and I slowed my pace and trotted to the Clearwater-Calls' house, keeping off the still unmarked road, although no one would have been surprised to see me. A hundred years ago, only the elders and close families of the pack had known about us, but now it was common knowledge that there was the potential for wolves to make an appearance and I doubted it would be long before everybody knew that three of their boys and the descendant of the original Jacob had phased.

Liam and Quil were in the yard sitting at the picnic table, wearing only cut-offs and greedily making their way through a large plate of freshly baked cookies. I halted nearby and Liam quickly sprang up and went indoors, returning seconds later with a pair of jog pants, their elasticated waist more suited to fit my bigger frame. I phased back quickly and put the pants on before I sat down and helped myself to a cookie.

"Hey, guys. I'm sorry I've taken so long to get over here."

"It's ok, we thought you'd need to be with Edward for a while."

"Well...um...he's busy right now. That's no excuse, though, I should have come over right away."

"You Imprinted," Quil said simply as if that explained everything.

"Yes and it's a little different from the first time around. You know how you feel, Liam? Multiply that by ten times. I don't know why it's so intense so fast - I can only think that it's because I already loved Edward so much."

"Wow," Liam said. "Will how I feel get stronger?"

I nodded. "It'll become a phsyical pain when you go too long without seeing her."

"I'm almost glad it didn't happen to me," Quil said.

"There's time yet," Liam grinned. "It's the first time you see the person after you first phase, isn't it, Jake?"

"Yeah. So, where's Wolf?"

"He took off. He's still blocking us from his head," Liam told me. "He didn't phase back when we got here; he just ran off towards the beach. He's been gone hours. I called his house, but his Dad said he hasn't seen him."

"I better go looking for him," I said at once. "I'm hoping I can help him."

"Do you know what's wrong?"

"Yes, Edward read his mind when he was off guard. I'm not going to tell you guys; if Wolf wants you to know, that's up to him."

"It's bad, isn't it? He's always so angry, but kind of scared too."

"He'll be ok, I'm sure of it." I got to my feet again. "He's not on his own any more, that's all you need to know. Can you get me another pair of pants for him?"

"Sure." Liam ran into the house again and brought out a pair of cargo shorts, which I folded and tucked under my arm before I set off on foot towards the beach, hoping that my reassurance hadn't been misguided. Would I be able to help Wolf, or would he simply refuse to talk; refuse to acknowledge what had happened even though Edward had seen his thoughts?

It didn't take me long to find Wolf; he was prowling around on the rocks where me and the guys had fooled around together so many years before and I approached him warily, wondering if I would have done better to phase first. I halted twenty feet from him and waited for him to notice me, which he did a moment later. His head swung towards me and he let out a low growl.

"Phase back and talk to me," I said, tossing the shorts in his direction so that they landed on a dry patch of sand between the two of us. He glared at me and didn't move. "Maybe you don't like the fact that suddenly I'm Alpha, but I can't help that. Apparently it's my destiny," I went on. "If anyone should feel resentment about it, I would have expected it to be Liam, but he's fine. Stop fighting me, Wolf; let me help you."

A long moment passed without him moving a muscle, watching me unblinkingly with his teeth showing slightly. Then suddenly he walked slowly forwards to where the shorts lay, turned his back on me and phased, quickly putting the garment on before he turned again.

"What do you want?"

"Let's sit." I gestured at the sand and sat down cross-legged, waiting for him to join me, which he did with a heavy sigh.

"Is this where you tell me to mind what you say and control myself? Defer to you like I'm one of your minions...?"

"No. It's where I ask you to trust me and let me help you with the situation you're in."

"What the fuck?" He was on his feet again in a second. "That fucking leech told you, didn't he?" he snarled. "I told him not to!"

"Edward's my husband; we don't keep secrets from each other," I said calmly. "We just want to help."

"Well, I don't want your help and I certainly don't want his! Stay away from me!"

"Wolf, sit down," I said quietly.

"Fuck off!"

_"Sit!"_

His butt dropped onto the sand quickly and he glowered and avoided my eyes.

"I don't want to do this," he said through his teeth.

"I know you don't, but you can't go on the way you have been. I know you're scared..."

"Yeah, scared I'll phase and rip his fucking head off if I ever see him again! I'd probably end up in jail the rest of my life!"

"Wolf, you know he can't hurt you again, but what about other kids? He's a teacher, surrounded by young boys every day. Would you want anyone else to go through this?"

"Fuck, no!"

"Then we need to deal with it...together."

He looked up slowly and met my eyes.

"Why would you want to help me?"

"Because I hate to see anybody hurting if I can do something to help; because I'm your Alpha and I have a responsibility to you; because I think there's a nice guy in there somewhere, who's lashing out at everybody because he doesn't know what else to do."

The boy chewed his lip and blew his breath out slowly, dropping his eyes away again and staring at his toes as he dug them into the sand.

"How? I mean, how can we fix this?"

"We're gonna have to talk to your Dad first..."

"No!" Wolf exclaimed in horror, eyes wide. "You can't tell him! Please...he'll probably kick me out. He'd probably think I'm a fag. No offence," he added a touch grudgingly.

"It's obvious to me that your father cares about you," I said. "Maybe he's a bit unorthodox, but he's proud of you. He won't blame you for being a victim, Wolf."

"How do you know that? You don't know him. He brought me up not to take shit from anyone; to beat hell out of anybody who bothered me. How's he gonna feel when he finds out that I...that stuff happened to me and I didn't fucking do anything? I tried to, but...the guy's huge, bigger than you even; and he told me people would find out, that my Dad would hate me if I didn't...if I fought him."

I cringed inwardly and my wolf struggled to burst out of me again. My blood boiled at the thought of the boy in front of me being treated in such a way by a family member; someone who was in a position of trust. Wolf had said he feared he may kill the man and I knew exactly how he felt; I knew his father would too.

"You were - you _are_ - a child, Wolf," I said. "Sixteen might legally be classed as adult, but you're still growing up. Your father won't blame you for this; my worry is how I'll stop him killing your uncle and get him to deal with it properly."

"Maybe you should deal with it," Wolf said slowly. "I mean...my Dad hates him anyway; they never got on even when my Mom was around. I don't want him to go to jail either."

"It's your uncle that should be locked up."

"There's only one way that would happen; I would have to talk to the cops, wouldn't I? Maybe go to court? Things like that don't stay on the Res; they only deal with minor stuff here. I can't do that. Then everybody would know and I couldn't bear it." He almost seemed to shrink in front of me as he dropped his face into his hands. "My Dad would probably make us move away, he'd be so ashamed."

"Perhaps I could go talk to your Dad first," I suggested. "You could stay with Liam."

"You'd do that?"

"Yes, if you want me to."

There was another long silence while he thought about it and then he nodded slowly. "Ok, then."

We walked slowly back to Liam's house to find that Quil had gone home. Liam was still eating, a plate of muffins now in front of him and he invited Wolf to sit down and have some. I left them to it, borrowed a shirt and set off on foot for the Lahotes' house with some trepidation. I wasn't afraid of Wolf Senior, but I was certainly apprehensive about what he would do when I broke the news to him. No man would want to hear that his son had been sexually abused and I knew I would have a hard time preventing him going after his brother-in-law. I felt a little out of my depth, but at the same time I was responsible for Wolf as one of my pack and somehow I had to make things better for him.

When I arrived, Wolf's father opened the door, a sandwich in one hand. "He's not home yet," he grunted.

"I know that, he's with Liam. I'm here to see you."

He stepped back to let me in and I got right to the point. The Lahotes had never been ones to appreciate beating around the bush and his reaction was exactly as I expected. The plate he had picked up, which held another sandwich, sailed across the room and shattered on the wall and a string of expletives burst from his lips, some that I hadn't even heard before. The man's face was purple, veins standing out on his forehead and along his muscular arms as he clenched his fists and I knew if he'd had an active gene in him, he would have phased in a second. He was ready to race over to his brother-in-law's house and beat him to death and it took some effort to stop him and make him listen to me.

I told him exactly what Wolf had said to me - that putting himself in a position where he could potentially end up in jail for assault, if not worse, wouldn't help his son and that he would do better to get over to Liam's house to reassure his boy that he wasn't ashamed or disgusted with him.

"This isn't his fault!" Wolf exclaimed angrily. "How could he think I'd blame him? I'm going to see that fucker right now...!"

"No!" I stepped between him and the door and looked him in the eye. "I know the Tribe protects their own in circumstances like this and they'd all support you, but there are some things that can't be covered up. I will go and see your brother-in-law myself and you...take care of your boy."

"Who the fuck are you to tell me how to deal with this?" Wolf growled. "Get out of my way!"

"Wolf, when there's a pack, the Alpha is second only to the Chief," I reminded him. "In a battle, I'd overrule even him if I needed to. Listen to me. What do you hope to achieve by seeing the man yourself? Putting him in the hospital?"

"In a grave, more like!" he spat.

"Your boy needs you; you won't be any good to him in a cell. Besides, getting yourself arrested could potentially bring everything else out into the open and Wolf doesn't want that. Nor do you if you think about it properly. One of his biggest worries was that everyone on the Reservation would learn what had happened to him and you'd feel like you had to leave."

"Hmph."

"Come back with me, talk to Wolf and I'll deal with...what's his name anyway? I don't even know," I realised.

"Marvin Rivers. He lives in the white-washed house at the end of North Drive."

Wolf Senior drove me over to Liam's house in his truck and we headed around to the rear yard, finding the two boys still sitting at the picnic table. Wolf looked up anxiously at the appearance of his father and seemed about to bolt if he thought it necessary. There was a long moment of silence where the pair just stared at each other and then the father's face relaxed slightly.

"Come on, son, we're going home," he grunted and when Wolf got up and went to him, a huge hand landed on the boy's shoulder to steer him back to the truck. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"What are you going to do?" Liam asked.

"Did he tell you?"

"Yeah. That sick bastard..."

"Alright, Liam. I'm going to see him."

"Do you want me to come too? I guess I'm...Beta now?"

"Yeah, you are, but no...I'll do this on my own." I left him and again set off on foot. The Rivers house was some distance away, but at a fast trot it would only take me fifteen minutes.

Marvin Rivers opened the door almost immediately after I knocked as if he'd been standing on the other side of it and I shoved my hands into the pockets of Liam's jog pants in an effort to stop myself decking him before I even opened my mouth. He was a big man, a couple inches taller than me and packing a lot more muscle, but I had the strength of my wolf on my side and I knew that if it came to it, he wouldn't stand a chance. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me and then he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"You know who I am?"

"Should I?"

I wasn't sure if he knew or not and decided to assume that he didn't for the moment.

"I'm Jacob Black, your nephew's Alpha. Presumably you do know he phased."

"Uh huh. What do you want?"

"A word. Indoors. I don't think you'll want to risk your neighbours hearing what I have to say."

His expression darkened, but he stepped back and let me into the house. I closed the door quietly, struggling to stay calm as I imagined this monster in front of me threatening and hurting Wolf.

"Go on," he prompted arrogantly.

"Wolf talked to me."

"About?"

"I'm sure you can guess. His father knows too; it was all I could do to stop him coming over here himself."

"You think I'm scared of my sister's dick of a husband?"

"Maybe not, but perhaps you'll take notice of me. I'm sure you don't want Old Quil finding out what you've been up to, or anyone else on the Res. You know what a close-knit community this is..."

"And who are they gonna believe, huh? Someone who's been here their whole life? A teacher - pillar of the community as it were? Or you...a freak of nature who only recently showed up."

"Pillar of the community?" I found I couldn't control myself any longer and somehow, without me realising I had done it, my hand was squeezing his throat as I pinned him to the wall. His hands automatically went to my wrist to pry me off and he found it impossible.

"Listen to me!" I growled. "I may not have lived here my whole life - this time - but I am responsible for Wolf just as his father is. I'm a teacher too in a way and that means I have a responsibility to all the kids around here, whether I teach in their school or not. The first thing I will do tomorrow is make sure that the head at the Res school knows exactly what kind of person he's entrusting his students to and that means it'll go on your teaching record. You won't get a job anywhere in this State and you won't have a place on the Res either."

"Fucking let go of me!" the man gasped.

_"Listen!" _I repeated and the back of his head crashed into the wall as I pulled him towards me a few inches and then slammed him backwards. "If you're still here the next time I come looking, I'll do more than talk."

"You wouldn't dare...from what I hear, you got too much to lose." Apparently he knew more than it appeared.

"I'd lose nothing. What would the evidence be, huh? A man mauled by a wild animal? Happens all the time - haven't you been watching the news? A bear...a wolf maybe? Don't think I won't. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my pack and anyone else on the Reservation and that isn't just restricted to rogue vampires; it includes sadistic, perverted child-abusers!"

"You're crazy," Marvin panted as I finally let go of him and stepped away.

"I'm protective. Leave the Res and the worst that will happen is that you'll have to change your career. Stay and you take your chances - not just with me, but the whole Tribe."

"Fuck."

"I'll leave you to think on that. I'll be stopping by some time soon to see if you're still here." I opened the door again and walked out, finding that now my temper was subsiding, my hands had begun to shake. I had always been a generous, caring person and it was only the animal within me and my outrage over Wolf's treatment that had brought out such aggression. I breathed deep as I headed slowly back to the Clearwater-Calls', finding it somewhat difficult to believe that Marvin Rivers had shown no remorse whatsoever. He didn't seem to think he'd done anything wrong and had actually been smug until he realised I'd given him no option.

Liam came out of the house to meet me as I headed up the drive and we halted a little distance from the house.

"What happened? I didn't tell Mom and Dad anything."

"Good, best keep it that way unless Wolf says otherwise. I saw his uncle; he'll be leaving La Push pretty soon and he won't get another teaching job in this State; hopefully outside of it too. I'll deal with that tomorrow."

"Wow. I wondered if you might...maul him, or something."

"I struggled not to."

"The kids at school all hated him," Liam said. "I don't know of anybody else he was...doing anything to, but he was an asshole as a coach; made those who didn't do so well feel like shit. They're all going to be glad he's gone."

Now that the main part of the problem had been dealt with, I began to feel deflated and the pain in my chest, which had been masked by my anger, quickly returned. I needed to get back to the Cullens' and see Edward if I had to drag him out of Zara's room to do it.

I stripped off Liam's clothes and placed them on the picnic table, quickly phasing again. It was almost dark and I raced off the Reservation and headed in a straight line to the Cullens' house, my heart beginning to pound in anticipation of seeing Edward. My paws flew over the ground and I ran at full speed, covering the distance in only a few minutes, having to stand still to catch my breath before I was able to phase back and find the clothes I had left outside.

I found only Esme in the kitchen. She told me Carlisle was at the hospital and the others out hunting with the exception of Zara and Edward and I immediately knew where to find them. Disappointed and feeling the painful tightness in my chest increase, I ran up the stairs and went to my room. I expected to spend more time alone, but before I had even got in the room, Zara's door opened.

"Go to him," I heard her say. "I am fine, really. You've been amazing, but your man needs you. I know you've been keeping out of his head, but I wasn't earlier. This Imprint thing is killing him."

"Oh, God," Edward groaned.

"Go on. I'm going downstairs to spend some time with Esme. Really, don't worry about me."

I heaved an enormous sigh of relief and walked into the room, my pulse quickening again as Edward appeared a moment later in a blur of movement, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

In another second he was in my arms, his cold cheek pressed against mine, icy hands on the back of my neck as he held tight to me. I wrapped both arms around his waist and just hugged him as an amazing sense of peace settled over me. It almost felt as if a week had passed since I phased, with everything that had happened since, but at last it was just me and my husband, wolf and vampire again, at least for a few hours.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"Let's go home."

Edward's words were whispered in my ear and he drew back a few inches to look at me.

"You mean to PA?"

He nodded. "I want it to be just you and me. I'm so sorry I haven't been with you since you Imprinted. It was supposed to be something special and it took Zara telling me how bad I was making you feel..."

"Sshh." I pressed my fingers to his cold lips. "It doesn't matter. You needed to be there for her. I had some things to do, which helped."

I went on to tell him about Wolf while we quickly gathered a few things together, shoved them into a bag and found the keys to the Neptune and the house.

"Do you think he'll leave? Marvin Rivers?" Edward asked.

"If he knows what's good for him. I'm going to check in a few days like I said I would and I'll be talking to the head of the Res school tomorrow. If they need me to go higher and report it to the authorities, I will. Let's forget about that now though. Tonight is just about you and me."

It was already getting late, but I felt as if I could stay up all night the way Edward did and not need a wink of sleep. My heart was racing as we headed out to the car, Edward pausing to let Esme know we were going to our house and would be back the next day. I couldn't wait to be properly alone with him and I realised it would be the first time we would make love since I phased.

My pants began to grow tight as I sat in the car, remembering our first wedding night. As wolf and vampire, we had boundless energy and stamina and had been able to keep going for hours, taking turns at being fucked. I heard myself groan and glanced at Edward as he laughed softly.

"What are you thinking about?"

"What do you think I'm thinking?" I grabbed his right hand where it rested on his thigh as he drove, pressing it over my crotch and he grinned wider.

"You _are_ eager."

"Remember what it was like when I was a wolf before?"

"Of course I remember." His hand began to stroke me slowly through my pants and when I looked at him again, I could see movement inside his jeans.

"Whose idea was it to live an hour away?" I sighed and Edward chuckled again.

"Unfasten your pants."

"While you're driving? Shit."

"I can drive with my eyes shut, almost and it's dark; no one will see."

I unzipped quickly and my cock slid free, unrestrained by underwear and immediately it was gripped in Edward's icy fist.

"Fuck!" I hissed. Things had always been intense between us since he was changed and we had first touched each other, but my increase in temperature since phasing took things to a whole new level. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and my entire body broke out in goose bumps, while my erection twitched and leaked, my balls pulling themselves up against my body.

"Feel good?" Edward grinned.

"You have no idea."

"Yes, I do. I can remember last time like it was yesterday. That's why I thought it best we go to our own house, because I won't be able to stay quiet when I fuck you."

"Jesus, Edward," I groaned.

"You know why I haven't wanted to after that first time, but there's no reason not to now, is there?"

"No," I gasped. "You won't hurt me now." I lifted my butt up off the seat slightly, pushing myself urgently into his hand. "God, please, I'm aching."

"Don't you want to wait until we're home?"

"No, I need to come. Besides, you started this, you can't stop now."

"I didn't start it, you put my hand on you," he smirked.

His hand began to slide slowly up and down my length, rubbing his thumb over the head, squeezing the base firmly, his touch seeming to be everywhere at once. I looked down and watched my dark, almost purple cock fucking his white fist and let myself imagine what would happen when we reached the house.

"Read my mind," I panted.

"I am."

_I rested on hands and knees on the bed, gripping the end of it while Edward moved in behind me. He had already spent a few minutes preparing me with lubed fingers and my cock quivered impatiently against my belly as I waited for him. One of his hands came to rest on my hip, holding me still and then I felt the blunt, icy head of his cock push against me and slowly penetrate. Chills ran up my spine and I shuddered and let my head sink low between my shoulders as he slid deeper, his frigid organ gradually filling me, stretching me until his thighs touched mine and he was buried deep inside me._

"Shit, Jacob!" Edward groaned, his hand quickening its pace and it was my turn to laugh.

"Frustrated?"

"You've no idea how much I've wanted to do it. After the first time when I hurt you, I knew I could never do it again while you were human, but it didn't mean I stopped thinking about it and wishing."

"Stop talking," I said. His hand was slowing and I was so close, my orgasm just out of reach.

"Sorry. Keep thinking."

I closed my eyes and his hand sped up again, pumping my cock so rapidly that I knew it would be a blur if I watched. I took myself back to our bedroom where the picture in my mind had been interrupted.

_Edward slowly pulled out until only the head of his cock remained inside me, then snapped his hips forward again, plunging deep and bumping my prostate. I yelped and shuddered, tightening my muscles and squeezing his length until he drew back again and began to fuck me with sharp, hard thrusts. His coldness penetrated deep into me and his thick shaft filled me, slick with lube, his chilly balls bumping my heated ones and his hand reaching around me to jerk me off, adding to the myriad sensations running through me. I knew I was going to come fast and I could feel his movements growing awkward and jerky as he approached his own orgasm._

_"Come for me, Jacob," he whispered and I felt his fluid spurt from him deep inside me, sending shudders through me as my own cum exploded from my cock onto the bed in front of me and all over his hand._

"Oh, fuck."

I opened my eyes quickly, realising he had spoken aloud and not just in my head. His hand and my cock were sticky with my cum and several drops had landed on my pants. Edward's body was trembling, his chest rising and falling rapidly and I peeled my shirt off quickly and wiped myself and his fingers with it.

"Did you come in your pants?" I asked breathlessly.

"Um..." He laughed, eyes down, that exact same look he had given me countless times when he was human, when his cheeks would have been glowing pink. "I guess I did."

"Hell." Shivering, I zipped myself up and grasped his hand in mine. I couldn't wait for us to get home.

At last the Neptune pulled up on our driveway and we hurried into the house, not bothering to switch on any lights. We headed straight upstairs to the bedroom and I dumped the small bag we had brought beside the bed, opened it up and took out the bottle of lube, which I set on the bed table.

"I need to take a quick shower," Edward said with a grimace, unfastening his jeans and dropping them to his ankles. He was wearing white cotton shorts underneath and the crotch was soaked and clinging to his only partly softened cock. I licked my lips as he lowered them, uncovering himself and I swiftly toed off my shoes and took my pants off to join him in the shower.

It was a while since we had been to the house and the water was cold which I relished, but Edward didn't enjoy. He soaped himself rapidly and rinsed off, out of the stall again and drying himself almost before I could blink.

"I'll turn the heater on for the morning," he said and blurred downstairs.

By the time I was done in the shower, he was lying on the bed waiting for me, idly stroking his erection, his black eyes watching every move I made. I joined him quickly and slid my arms around him, tugging him against me and finding it much easier to move him now I had my wolf's strength. We pressed together, chest to chest, legs entwined, cocks nudging each other, arms holding each other tightly.

"We should celebrate this day every year, kind of like an anniversary," I said. "Thank fate for giving us our eternity at last."

Edward smiled. "What was it like?" he asked.

"It was a lot different from last time. It was like everything fell into place. I could see us in the future and I don't think things are meant to end for us this time. We see my parents and my sisters leave us behind; we see the world and I stay young like you. I could feel an invisible link, like a chain, pulling me into you and I'm certain nothing's going to break it this time."

Edward smiled and brushed his lips against mine. "I wish I'd been in your head then. I wasn't, I was..."

"Trying to stop me killing you." I closed my eyes and shuddered. "I feel terrible about that."

"Don't. It was instinct; I know that."

"When I broke out of Tanya's window, I was suddenly surrounded by the smell of vampires and my wolf couldn't distinguish one from the next. I wasn't even thinking as myself."

"I know that, Jake, stop worrying about it. We got what we wanted - forever together, as Imprints."

"Yeah." I relaxed and smiled again.

"What was it like the first time? I mean...did you see a future with me then?"

"Not really. I was too shocked to see anything much. I felt myself being drawn to you and I fought with myself. I was thinking, 'Edward fucking Cullen, it would be him'. It was bad enough that you were a guy, but the bane of my life too..."

"I'm offended," Edward teased.

"Well, stop being offended and make love to me." I removed my arms from his waist and reached up to take the long chain from around my neck, unclasped it and slid my wedding ring off of it, replacing it on my finger. I dropped the chain onto the bed table and cupped his face in my hands, planting a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you. So much."

"I love you too."

I gasped as I was swiftly rolled onto my back, finding Edward's body covering mine and pressing me into the mattress, his knees pushing my thighs apart as his mouth covered mine, tongue thrusting in eagerly. I moaned into the kiss and slid my arms around him, squeezing his butt and digging my nails into his firm flesh as he gyrated against me, his icy erection rubbing against my heated one, both of us immediately fully hard again. I was aware of every part of us that touched; his tongue exploring my mouth, his lips crushing mine and the sweet taste of him; his hands under me, the light sprinkling of chest hair on him tickling my pecs; his tight belly against mine; his erection, throbbing and eager, the tip already leaking pre-cum; his balls soft but firm, resting against my own, every part of him cold where I was hot.

I turned my head slightly to break the kiss, gasping for breath, my heart racing and my body shivering in delight just from the feel of him. His mouth touched my ear, then my neck, nibbling gently at my skin as he worked his way lower, pulling himself up onto his knees and crouching over me. I opened my eyes and looked down at him, his riotous hair a rich bronze, lips red in contrast to his white skin. His mouth reached one of my nipples and he tugged it gently between his teeth, carefully biting and sucking while he pinched the other between finger and thumb, making both stiffen and tingle.

"God, Edward," I groaned.

He chuckled softly, an icy breath tickling my skin; then he was moving south again, his tongue tracing circles over my abs, the tip of my quivering cock bumping his chin as it rose from my belly, trying to reach him.

"Please," I begged.

He moved further down the bed, teasing the base of my erection with his tongue for a moment and then drawing one of my balls into the icy cavern of his mouth, sucking on it gently and rolling it around until I was squirming and babbling helplessly.

"Edward...Christ...fuck...please..."

My ball popped free from his mouth and he laughed again quietly.

"Stop being so impatient."

The other ball received the same treatment while my cock twitched and ached, untouched, pre-cum forming a thin glistening string between the tip and my stomach.

"I'm aching...please..." I stopped with something between a groan and a squeal as in one swift movement, my ball was released and my cock encased, his throat muscles working the tip, lips and tongue and teeth licking and sucking and biting my shaft.

_"Fucking Christ!"_

His soft laugh vibrated around me and I reached down with both hands and slid them into his hair, tugging at the silken tangle and scratching my nails over his scalp, my hips bucking up in an effort to drive myself deeper into his throat. I felt a finger slip into the corner of his mouth alongside my cock and then it was probing between my legs, feeling for my hole and gently dipping into it. I groaned and swore, writhing and shuddering, clenching my fists almost hard enough to tear his hair from his head.

_"I'm going to come too fast...again."_

I wasn't sure if I'd said it or thought it, but Edward quickly released my cock, much to my frustration, instead tucking both hands under my butt and lifting me. I held my breath and let my hands falls to my sides as I watched his head duck down between my legs, feeling the tip of his tongue circle my hole and a cold breath made me shiver. He flattened his tongue against me, swiping it the length of my perineum; then his hands were stretching me open and he was blowing chilly air into me, his tongue flicking at me and seeking entrance.

"Ohhh...holy shit!" I breathed. "Edward...unh...!" I clenched my fists on the mattress, squirming ineffectually as his steely grip held me firm, panting and moaning as his tongue continued tormenting me for several long moments. Then suddenly I was released and I opened my eyes to see him squeezing lube onto his fingers.

"I can't wait for you to fuck me!" I blurted.

"Patience." He kneeled over me, jet black orbs fixed on mine as he slowly penetrated me with one finger, sliding it in and out a few times before adding a second, carefully scissoring them to stretch me. I felt slight discomfort for a minute before the tips of his digits curled upwards and bumped my prostate and then I was a quivering, tingling mess, unable to keep my hand away from my leaking cock any longer. I grasped it firmly and began to stroke, but after mere seconds my wrist was captured in Edward's free hand and pinned to the bed and I groaned desperately.

"Please...you're killing me," I panted. "I need you, now."

"Just another minute." He slowly added a third finger and I grimaced and breathed out, remembering that just because I had the strength and durability of a wolf, it didn't mean that nothing would hurt. I relaxed and let him take his time until he was thrusting all three fingers firmly into me without any discomfort.

"Ok, I'm ready."

His fingers left me and I watched eagerly as he squeezed out more lube, coating his cock and pausing to stroke himself, thrusting his hips forward slightly and pushing himself into his hand.

"Oh, God," I groaned. "You are so hot when you do that."

"Turn over."

I was quick to do as instructed, positioning myself on hands and knees with my face to the wall, glancing back over my shoulder at him. He did exactly as he had in my head on the drive to PA, gripping my hip with one hand, shuffling forward between my legs and guiding himself with the other hand, pushing at me gently but firmly until the head of his cock slid past my tight ring of muscle. I dropped my head forward with a groan, my spine tingling at the icy feel of him as he carefully inched forwards, impaling me on half of his length before pulling back almost to his tip.

"More," I breathed, clenching my fists.

Both of his hands held my hips as he slid in again, slowly and carefully until I felt his thighs press against mine, my insides quivering with the feel of his coldness filling me. I guessed he was probably reading my mind still, feeling what I felt as well as the sensations his own body was experiencing and I wished I could do the same.

"Tell me what it feels like," I said as he held still, buried deep, his cock twitching slightly.

"Hot," he murmured. "Hotter than before; it's like a furnace around me." He shuddered and his fingers dug harder into my hips. "I could come just from the feel of you without even moving." He withdrew a few inches and thrust in again carefully. "Is this ok?"

"God, yes. Fuck me, Edward," I begged. "Hard and fast, like you used to."

He withdrew again and slammed back in, the force of his thrust shoving me forwards, bringing my head perilously close to the wall. I pushed myself up and rested one forearm on it, bracing myself while I grasped my cock with my free hand and began to pump it eagerly, in time with Edward's thrusts at first as he pounded himself into me, each deep penetration grazing my prostate and sending an icy tingling sensation up my spine. He began to pick up speed, his shaft plunging impossibly fast into my heat, loud groans and gasps emerging from him and adding to my own. I was so close, but his vampiric speed and power were pushing me off balance and I reluctantly released my cock and braced both hands on the wall instead. Immediately a chilly arm snaked around my waist and his hand was on me, jerking me off frantically, his breath cold in my ear as he leaned closer.

"So good...almost there..._fuck!"_ I panted. The feel of him in me, around me, his hand pumping and squeezing me brought my orgasm crashing through me and my groans and growls filled the room as I shot my load onto the wall in front of me and coated Edward's hand. My ass tightened in reflex, gripping his length as it jerked and pulsed inside me. His body held still, trembling against my back, his shouts of pleasure loud in me ear and his icy cum chilling my hot tunnel.

Shaking, I lowered my hands to the mattress and Edward withdrew from me slowly, rolling onto his side and pulling me down with him. We lay there together, me gasping for breath and Edward just gasping, my heart banging against my ribs as if it meant to burst from my chest. I felt the slightest soreness from the pounding I had received, but as I lay there with my burning back against his cool chest, the sensation slowly lessened and then vanished.

"That was amazing," I murmured. "Thank God we came over here - you were _loud."_

"No more than you." He bit my ear gently and pressed his face into my neck. "I didn't hurt you." It was a statement rather than a question.

"I'll be ready for more soon," I teased.

It had been a very long day, however, with all the trauma following phasing, the battle and my Imprint which at first had caused me agony. I was disappointed when my eyelids began to droop, but wolf stamina was just unable to hold out against both mental and physical exhaustion.

"Go to sleep," Edward whispered in my ear.

"So much for making the most of the night," I sighed.

"We'll still be here in the morning."

"Are you staying?"

"Yes, I don't need to hunt."

"I love you."

"Love you too. Go to sleep," he repeated. His left hand came to rest over mine where it lay on the mattress and he laced our fingers together, his wedding ring touching mine and I finally let myself drift away into sleep, in the arms of my Imprint.

When I woke to find the room bright with the sun shining directly into the window, I initially thought I was alone. I hadn't moved all night, but Edward's arms were no longer around me and his coolness against my back had gone.

"I'm here," he said huskily.

Smiling, I rolled over and felt my eyebrows rise towards my hairline. Edward was sprawling against the pillows, his legs spread and knees drawn up, his cock hard against his belly and his hand between his legs, lubed fingers slowly fucking himself.

"Holy shit!" I gasped. My morning wood twitched in appreciation and I grimaced, realising I had the inconvenience of needing to pee.

"I can wait," Edward smirked. "Just thought I would get myself ready for you."

"Jeez." I headed into the bathroom quickly, trying to put the sight of him out of my head long enough to make my erection go down, but it was a losing battle. I shoved the bathroom door closed so that I wouldn't keep being tempted to look at him and quickly stepped into the shower, turning the water on cold and yelping at the sudden chill. It did, however, have the desired effect after a minute or two and I dried off, relieved myself and returned to the bedroom to find Edward grinning in amusement.

"Yes, I know, you don't have that problem," I said ruefully, dropping onto the bed next to him. He still had two fingers inside himself and was scissoring them and stroking his cock firmly with the other hand. My hand drifted down my body as I watched and with a few eager tugs, I was as hard as he was, my cock throbbing in my grip and my pulse racing. I leaned closer to kiss him, a wet and breathless mashing together of lips, Edward moaning into my mouth as he took his hands off of himself and groped blindly for the lube. I shifted my position, kneeling between his thighs, our mouths still clinging as I heard the click of the cap and in a second his cool hand was stroking a slick coating onto my erection. His other hand slid around to my butt and pulled me down as he guided me to his entrance. I broke the kiss with a groan and braced my hands either side of him as he drew me into his icy tunnel without a pause, his body almost seeming to swallow me up until I was balls deep.

"Fuck, that feels so good," he gasped, holding me tight against him and sliding further down onto the mattress. "I don't know which is better; your heat around me or in me."

"And I was going to spend some time tormenting you first," I grinned.

"I couldn't wait. I don't sleep, remember. I've been lying here for hours thinking about you fucking me."

He bucked up against me eagerly and I propped myself up over him, giving him room to continue stroking himself while I thrust myself firmly into him, eyes half closed, wanting to look at him, but at the same time struggling to do so as once again I gave myself over to the incredible sensation of making love to my vampire who was now also my Imprint once again. I forced my eyelids up determinedly and met his black eyes, their expression both lust-filled and adoring as he met each thrust with one of his own. I could feel my orgasm building rapidly, annoyingly so and I slowed my movements in an effort to stave it off and prolong things, until Edward begged me to go harder and faster, his hand blurring as he jerked himself off.

"Please...I'm so close...need to come..." he panted.

I gave up holding back and instead put all of my wolf's power and energy into ramming myself into his tight, cold ass, my balls bouncing against him, thighs slapping wetly against his as sweat oozed from my every pore, making my body slippery, my tongue tasting salt as I licked my lips. I felt Edward start to come before I saw it, his muscles tightening around me, his thighs tensing, his back arching up off the bed and then cum was spurting thickly from his cock, spattering onto his chest as he yelled out my name amidst a babble of curses. I tipped over the edge, shooting my load deep within him, my body trembling and sinking onto him weakly, eager to feel his coldness against my heated skin. He slid his arms around me and cool hands stroked down my back as I caught my breath, my cock still half hard and remaining inside him. I had wanted to take my time, but both the new extreme difference between our temperatures, my new strength and our emotional connection through the Imprint were initially making it impossible.

Now I held him to me and rolled over, my cock slipping from him as we moved together and me reversing our positions by parting my legs beneath him and hooking my ankles over his calves. He grinned down at me, his erection still rigid and digging into my stomach.

"Still want more?"

"Hell, Edward, I waited a year to have you like this. We have a lot of making up to do."

We lay together that way for some time, holding each other, sharing thoughts and gentle kisses. I had loved him for more than four years and I hadn't thought the feeling I had for him could have grown any more, but Imprinting had changed that and I found I didn't want to let him out of my sight, or even my arms, for a second. It was about as intense as it had been when I first realised I was in love with him, any years ago, months after I first Imprinted.

"Are you thirsty?" I murmured, looking up into his still black eyes.

"Does it feel like I'm thirsty?" He rolled his hips slightly, rubbing his erection against mine.

"That's a relief."

He lifted his weight off of me slightly and slowly began preparing me with lubed fingers. When he withdrew them and guided his cock into me in their place I groaned in delight, holding him tight against me. We had been so eager earlier and the previous night that our main concern had been to reach orgasm as quickly and vigorously as possible, but this time we made love, slow deep thrusts from Edward, arms holding each other, exchanging breathless kisses until again we came together, without the urgency but with just as much pleasure. Although we would have to return to the real world in just a few short hours, we could at least relish that perfect moment first.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

We showered together and dressed and spent a little longer at the house, me taking the opportunity to call my clients and arrange for them to resume their training. There was no real reason for us to continue living at the Cullens' house now, although I was going to need to spend time at the Reservation with the pack and Edward would continue to support Zara. In the aftermath of the small group of rogues, we all planned to maintain a regular patrol also, although hopefully this wouldn't need to continue for any length of time. After that one amazing night with Edward, we wanted to be able to put ourselves first again and be together as much as we could, not only because of my Imprint.

"You should hunt," I said, noticing Edward's black eyes. It was several hours since we had made love and I could feel a soreness in my throat and tightness in my chest. I had forgotten that Imprinting made me feel some of what Edward felt and I knew he must be in a fair amount of discomfort for me to be picking it up.

"I'm ok, I'll go when we get back to Forks," he said. He swallowed hard and bit his lip.

"You're not ok, I can feel it myself. When you hurt, I hurt, remember? I need to get back to La Push anyway and see the head teacher at the school. Let's go. I'll drive and stop by the woods first."

Edward opened his mouth to argue and then shut it and nodded, tugging a slightly shaky hand through his hair. I grabbed his hand quickly and picked up the two sets of keys from the kitchen counter.

"Come on, we're going now."

I drove the Neptune towards the nearest area of forest seven miles away while Edward sat pressing his hands together between his knees in an effort to disguise the fact that he was trembling, repeatedly licking his lips and gulping. The signs of his growing desperation were unmistakeable and I drove as fast as I dare and parked up in the picnic area on the edge of the forest.

"Do you want me to phase and join you, or wait here?" I asked.

"It might take me a while, just go back on your own and I'll join you when I'm done," Edward said.

"I can't just take off and leave you," I protested at once.

"Of course you can. I can get back to Forks from here in thirty minutes if I put my mind to it." He smiled and grimaced slightly. "I'll see you soon. Go sort out Wolf's uncle."

"Ok. Call me if you need me." I gave my vampire a warm kiss, which he quickly drew away from, hissing through his teeth. Although my blood was poison to him, the smell of it was still a lure to him when he was as thirsty as he was now. He slipped out of the car, took a quick look around to make sure he wasn't being observed and then blurred into the trees. I started the car again and drove back to La Push, trying not to worry about him. I knew he would be fine, but I hated seeing him suffer and now I could feel a portion of it too, my stomach fluttered anxiously. I just hoped he wouldn't have to travel too far before he could feed.

I arrived at the Reservation high school forty-five minutes later and assumed that Liam and Quil would be there, although when I arrived classes were clearly in session and no one was in sight except for two groups on one of the fields involved in football training. I couldn't make out the coaches from the distance and only hoped one of them wasn't Marvin Rivers. I made my way to the head's office, remembering attending this school long ago. The buildings were all new now, but laid out in much the same way and the head's office was in a similar area. I knocked and waited.

"Come in!"

The head was a woman, one I vaguely recognised from the Reservation and she introduced herself as Madeleine Fuller. There had been a Brady Fuller once and I supposed she could have been a descendant.

"I'm Jacob Black," I said.

"Yes, I know; you're a friend of the Clearwater-Call family, aren't you?" she said pleasantly. "How may I help?"

"I'm here to speak to you about Marvin Rivers, one of your sports coaches."

"Oh, yes?"

"Is he at work today?"

"No, as it happens. Do you know anything about that?"

"I might." I paused, wondering how to tell her about the man without bringing Wolf into it. "Rivers is Wolf Lahote Senior's brother-in-law..."

"Yes."

"I've learned recently that Rivers has been...um...using his status as coach to bully and abuse one, or possibly more than one, of the students here."

Madeleine's eyes narrowed. "Who told you this?"

"I don't want to name him. He doesn't want this being made public."

"I have had a few complaints recently, but nothing that has been proven. Heavy-handed tactics with some students. He's been spoken to."

"I'm not talking about an overly controlling teacher, Ms Fuller, I'm talking about sexual abuse," I blurted.

The woman sucked her breath in sharply. "That's a pretty serious accusation..."

"Yes, it is. I've already talked to Rivers myself, with his brother-in-law's support, and told him to leave La Push. That's completely separate from his work here, but I wanted you to be aware of it. I don't know how you'd deal with something like this, but I would hope he won't be able to get work with kids wherever he goes."

"This is a matter for the authorities; the school board and the police," Madeleine said. "If what you say can be substantiated, then of course it would be treated very seriously. Really I would need to talk to the student..."

"Not going to happen," I said firmly. "Like I said, he doesn't want it known about."

"May I ask how you came to be involved in this?"

"Let's just say I'm working with Old Quil Ateara to ensure the continued safety of the Reservation," I said carefully.

Madeleine's mouth formed into a silent 'O' and then she smiled. "Of course. I try to keep a distance from that side of things, but I do have some idea. Anyway..." She paused now and sighed. "Obviously I'll look into the situation with Marvin Rivers immediately, but without a statement from a student or something to prove what you're saying is true, it's just an unsubstantiated accusation."

"Well, maybe if you ask around you might find some other kid who'd be willing to talk. I'm not giving away a confidence."

"Does Wolf Lahote have anything to do with this?" the woman asked suddenly. "The boy hasn't been in school for some time. His father told me he's been sick, but..."

I swore inwardly and hoped my face remained neutral as I quickly thought of a suitable response.

"He's been kind of indisposed," I said calmly. "I'm sure he'll be well enough to return to school before too much longer. It was connected to him being part of what I mentioned a moment ago; the safety of our people."

"Oh, well that explains a lot. Young Liam and Quil had some absences for the same reason."

I nodded. "They've been helping Wolf keep up to date with his classes," I added.

I left a few minutes later, just as a bell rang and students began to pour out of the classrooms. I saw Liam as I walked out to the parking lot and he jogged over to me.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Reporting Marvin Rivers. Where's Quil?"

"Restroom."

"Ok." I glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot. "Obviously I didn't mention Wolf to her. She asked if he had any connection since he's been away from school and I hinted that it was connected to him phasing. She does know things, just prefers to keep the supernatural stuff separate from school. She did say that without someone to make a statement..."

"There's another kid," Liam interrupted in a low voice. "I've been doing some digging of my own. He's in my biology class although we don't do sports together. He looks a lot like Wolf; similar build, I mean. He's quiet though, shy and sort of introverted. He said something about being glad Mr Rivers isn't here today and kind of shuddered. I asked why and he went bright red and wouldn't say anything, but he's been making excuses for missing football training for a while and I know he's had detentions after school because of it."

"Fuck!" I hissed. "Can you try to get him to open up? Ms Fuller really needs someone willing to speak up against Rivers and so will the authorities. It's well enough me threatening the guy into leaving the area, but we need to make sure he can't teach again, anywhere. I'd prefer him to be locked up, obviously..."

"I'd prefer his fucking head to be ripped off!" Liam growled, steam rising from the damp shoulders of his school shirt.

"Sshh, calm down."

"Hey, Jake!" Quil's voice startled me and his hand slapped Liam's shoulder from behind. The boy spun around with a snarl and Quil backed up quickly, hands raised. "Woah, sorry! Liam, are you ok?"

"He's fine, don't worry," I said. "Just give him some space."

Liam walked away slowly, fists clenched at his sides and I made an excuse to Quil about him missing Emma, hoping that on the off-chance the two hadn't been in the same class together.

"Aww, him and his Imprint. One class apart and he's a mess. She's got some music recital this morning, I think, but they're in history together next."

I heaved a sigh of relief and went to the car, which by now had drawn the attention of several kids.

"What are you doing with Edward's car?" Quil asked.

"He's hunting, I had some things to do. I'll see you soon, ok?" I left the school quickly and made my way back to the Cullens', wondering if Liam would be able to get the other boy to talk. If he had been through the same thing Wolf had and was willing to say so, Marvin Rivers would probably go to jail after all without Wolf ever having to be involved.

Edward came back about an hour after I arrived at the house. I was in the kitchen raiding the refrigerator, my empty stomach outweighing the persistent worry I felt, and suddenly I looked up and he appeared in front of me, eyes golden and a smile on his face. I sighed with relief and reached out to pull him into my arms, stroking my hands up and down his back and feeling the chill of him through his shirt. His lips met mine and we kissed for a long moment until Jasper came in and cleared his throat loudly and then we reluctantly parted.

Later I filled Edward in on my visit with Madeleine Fuller and after working out a patrolling schedule with Carlisle for the next week, we packed up the small amount of things we had moved to the house and set off back to PA. Carlisle had thoughtfully decided to have me patrol with one pack member and Edward, meaning we would travel over to Forks together each time we were needed and not be separated for the night, but we didn't expect the arrangement to last too long.

The next few days flew by, with me training and Edward finally looking into setting up as a home history tutor. We returned to Forks for two patrols and on the second occasion Wolf patrolled with us. He wasn't happy about the arrangement and shut himself off from us initially, but eventually he began to open up.

_"Thanks," _he thought rather grudgingly.

_"You don't need to thank us,"_ I responded at once.

_"Yeah, I do. Liam said there's another kid who's going to talk to the cops. I hope they lock that fucker up for life!"_

"I hope so too," Edward said.

Wolf growled slightly and then shook himself and covered his teeth. _"My Dad arranged for me to see someone; you know, a counseller. A woman."_

_"That's good."_

_"He still wants to kill Rivers though. I don't want to talk about this any more, I just wanted to let you know what happened, since you helped me."_

_"No problem," _I replied.

I was relieved that Wolf was getting professional help. With any luck he would be able to deal with the horror he had been through and not suffer the effects of it later in life.

_"There is one other thing." _Wolf glanced at me briefly. _"My Dad wants me to go back to school and there's no fucking way I'm setting foot in that place again. I wondered if you could...I don't know...convince him it's a good idea that I leave."_

_"Wolf, your education's important." _I could only imagine what Wolf Senior would say to me if I suggested his son should quit school at sixteen.

_"For what? Going to college? Being a teacher or a lawyer or a doctor or some other thing? I'm not interested in any of that shit."_

"It's not only important for doing those things. You need qualifications to get jobs in most fields," Edward put in.

_"Who asked you?"_ Wolf snarled in his head.

_"Wolf, Edward's not your enemy," _I thought firmly.

_"Sorry. I don't see the point. I'm good with my hands; building things, fixing shit. I could get a job; maybe if I find one first, then Dad would be ok with it. The garage was advertising for an apprentice. Besides, I'm not safe to be at school. I'd probably get all stressed out and phase,"_ he finished slyly.

_"Why don't you see if there's a possibility of you actually getting work first?" _I suggested. _"There might be jobs advertised, but if they won't take you on, it's academic really. If you can actually go to your Dad and tell him you got a job and you want to make a go of it, maybe he'll listen."_

_"I guess. But will you put a word in for me, if I find something?"_

_"I can try."_

_"Thanks." _Wolf spent the rest of the patrol in better spirits and vowed to start looking for work the next day. He would call me if he was successful before speaking to his Dad.

That weekend we visited my family for the first time in several weeks. I had talked to them on the phone of course, but had to make excuses about the reason for our temporary move back to Forks, saying that I was needed in La Push for a while to help the Clearwater-Calls with a problem with their son, but I knew Dad thought there was more to it, although he hadn't asked. So on Saturday afternoon we spent some hours in Neah Bay, relieved that my sisters were out with friends when we initially arrived, meaning we could explain to my parents what had happened without having to be too careful. I wasn't sure quite how they would take the news of my phasing, however.

"The Clearwater-Call boy, Liam..." I began. "He...uh...was showing signs of phasing...becoming a wolf. It seems ridiculously weird sitting here telling my parents that," I laughed.

"Not really, in comparison to everything else you've told us over the past few years," Dad grinned.

"Yeah, I suppose. Well, Liam phased, as did two other boys - descendants of the original pack."

"Isn't that supposed to be a sign of danger coming?" Mom asked.

"Yes, it was, but it's already been dealt with. I didn't get around to telling you I joined the pack myself. I always hoped it would happen to me. You might have noticed when you hugged me that I'm hotter than usual."

"Yes, I wondered if you were getting a fever," said Mom.

I went on to explain as briefly as I could, that the four of us along with Edward and his family had swiftly dealt with the arrival of five enemies from Alaska, although it had resulted in the sad loss of Emmett. My parents had both liked the big vampire and felt very sorry for Zara.

"So what now?" Dad asked. "Should we be worried?"

"No." I shook my head. "We're patrolling, but there's been no sign of any further trouble. Carlisle is co-ordinating everything, but it'll only be another week or two and if everything stays quiet, we'll return to our normal lives for now." I bit my lip, wondering if I should go ahead and tell them the one thing that would upset them.

"Something's still worrying you," Mom frowned. "Spill."

"Obviously you know that Edward won't be able to live around here for more than a few years; we already talked about that," I began.

"And you'll go with him," Dad nodded. "We know it'll be difficult, but we've had time to get used to the idea and we'll be visiting regularly, wherever you are."

"I know; as Carlisle said, he'll just send his plane for you any time you want it. But there's more to it." I reached out towards Edward and took his hand in mine. "You know Edward will always be twenty-two. Now I have the ability to stay with him. If I continue phasing regularly I won't age, which means in theory, I can be with him forever."

"What are you saying, Jacob?" Mom asked.

"I'm saying that I won't physically get any older than I am now. You two and the girls will go on aging as usual and eventually leave me behind. I know that's going to be pretty hard to accept..." I stopped and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. I hadn't expected to tell them about it right at that moment, but once I started it seemed to make sense to just tell them everything all at once. I knew they'd understand, but they probably wouldn't like it. Mom's face paled slightly and her eyes glistened.

"We know how much you love Edward," she said. "But what about your sisters? We're supposed to get old and die before you, but not them."

"They'll be fine," I said huskily. "They won't need to know about that yet, but..."

"Suppose things don't work out for you two," Dad said gruffly. "You know I've always liked you, Edward; you've become one of the family, but what if in a few years' time, you decide you don't want to be together any more? What would happen to you, Jacob?"

"Dad, that would never happen," I said firmly. "I missed something out; something important. When I phased, it was very sudden. Sometimes young guys show signs of it for a couple of months, but I didn't. It was all in the space of a few days and then as soon as I saw Edward, I Imprinted again. If it's going to happen, it's the first time you see the one fate chooses for you after the first phasing." I squeezed Edward's hand harder. "It happened once before and I hoped - prayed - that it would happen this time too. Nothing will ever part us now. We're together until death, should anything every happen to either one of us."

Mom pulled out a tissue and dabbed at her eyes before blowing her nose. "I'm happy for you, of course I am," she said. "But it'll take a little getting used to. Seeing you in ten years or twenty years, the same as you are now...I can barely get my head around it."

I could see that Dad found the news as hard as Mom did, although he blustered over it by joking that Imprint or not, if we kept going for a hundred years, or two or three hundred, we'd get sick of seeing each other. However, once again I thanked God that I had such understanding parents. I'd put them through so much since I left Neah Bay to go to college and they had consistently accepted what I said and supported me.

"So...I have some news," Dad said eventually, changing the subject as he spotted Claire through the window as she returned home. My sisters spent a little less time together now, each having made their own friends with their very separate interests. "My company's been laying off some guys..."

"You lost your job?" I gasped, immediately anxious, although Dad was grinning.

"I got redundancy. Been there since just after we adopted you, Jacob, so it was a good sum. The news is that I'm setting up on my own. People on the Res in particular don't like the big companies, especially considering how much they charge, so I thought I'd look after their needs - building, joinery, whatever - and take on work in the surrounding towns if I need it. The paperwork's all done; I just need to start advertising and take on a couple of guys to help me, but from talking to some of the locals, I have at least a month's work lined up already."

"Wow, that's awesome!" I exclaimed. "What are you calling yourself?"

"Nothing that really stretches the imagination," Dad smirked. "Lester Construction."

"Good luck, Tom, I hope it goes well," Edward said.

"Thanks, son."

"Kind of a shame you're not closer to La Push," I said thoughtfully. "One of my pack is looking for an apprenticeship."

"Aren't your boys still in school?" Dad asked.

"Yes, but one, Wolf Lahote, is trying to get work so he can leave. I don't really want to say much, but he's been...uh...bullied by one of the teachers. The man's no longer there, but Wolf doesn't want to go back none the less."

"Poor kid. I'd consider taking on an apprentice to train up too. Ah well, let's hope he finds something local," Dad said.

"Jake! Edward!" Claire burst into the room and we both stood up to give her a hug. "We haven't seen you for ages."

We had only just finished filling her in our news when Chloe returned as well and we started from the beginning, interrupted repeatedly by Claire. We promised to have them over to our house the following weekend and Edward said he would make sure they got to see Carlisle and Esme and the others before too much longer. He explained that Emmett was no longer with us and both were saddened, although they didn't really know the other younger vampires very well.

Mom had slipped out of the room to start dinner while we entertained my sisters and in the end we stayed and I ate while Edward talked, telling my sisters about his plans to begin teaching.

"I wish you could be our teacher, Edward," Chloe said. "I hate ours, he's miserable and boring."

"You might think I was boring," Edward smiled.

"You're an amazing teacher," I put in. "When we were in college, Edward had to do some practise sessions, teaching his own class and I sat in on a few. He was brilliant - even I was interested in history."

Edward grinned crookedly and lowered his eyes. "Now you're just flattering me."

I smiled and gave his hand a squeeze, which didn't go unnoticed by the girls.

"You two are so cute," Chloe sighed. "I hope I find a boy who loves me as much as you two love each other, one day when I'm older."

_"Much_ older," Dad grunted.

Chloe grinned. "At least you won't have to worry about Claire yet; she doesn't even like boys, she just wants to be one."

The pair continued with a light-hearted argument and I listened in amusement, realising I had been missing seeing them lately. At least with the rogues disposed of and me no longer having to worry about growing away from Edward, we could concentrate a little more on our family again.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Over the next few days Edward and I were able to enjoy more time alone together at our house and things began to move forward smoothly. I worked and took on two new clients and a woman telephoned Edward and explained that her son had failed his history class and was going to be kept back a year if he didn't catch up. She wanted Edward to tutor the boy so that he could start the new school year at the same level as his classmates. The family lived just a few streets away from us and Edward arranged for the teenager to spend two hours at our house every morning, but as the first session approached, suddenly he was nervous.

"What if it all goes wrong? What if I can't control myself?" he panicked. "If they realise I'm different..."

"They won't, Edward, why would they? You'll be fine. You have no problems around my family now and it's not like you'll be alone with the kid - I'll be here, or in the yard anyway."

"I don't know why I took this on; it's not like I need to work," he groaned and I went to him, gripping his upper arms.

"You took it on because it was what you always wanted; to be a teacher. You'll be amazing. If you don't do this, it would be a horrible waste of all those years in college and your talent for it. Come on, stop worrying. He'll be here in a minute and by lunch time you're going to be wondering what you were so anxious about."

"I guess," Edward said doubtfully. It was a long time since I'd seen him so lacking in confidence and I hung around the kitchen when the doorbell sounded, making a very laborious coffee for myself so that I would be present for the first few minutes. I didn't have a client for another half hour.

I heard Edward's voice and then a few surly grunts from his student and I grinned to myself. He sounded like Wolf. When they came into the room, Edward introduced me to Christopher, a lanky blond teenager wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt, a pile of books in his arms and a scowl on his face that would curdle milk.

"Hey, I'm Jacob," I said.

"Uh."

"I'll be out of your way in a minute; want a drink or anything?" I offered.

"Nuh."

I glanced at Edward and raised an eyebrow and he grimaced in response, indicating the boy should take a seat at the breakfast bar. I listened as my vampire ran through what the kid had been studying in his last semester, going through the curriculum he had obtained from his mother and checking the items off.

"Where would you like to start?"

"Uh...the beginning?" the boy grunted sarcastically.

"How about we start with the aspect of this that interests you the most?"

"Nothing interests me about history."

"You're not interested in where you came from?"

"I'm from Norway originally. At least my ancestors were, about two or three hundred years ago."

"Well, there's an item on this list about the Vikings - we could start with that," Edward suggested.

"Yeah, ok."

Edward shot me a crooked smirk and I left them to it, taking my coffee into the lounge until my client arrived and then heading out into the yard. After I finished the session of football coaching, I showed the boy out and paused outside the kitchen door briefly, peeking in to see Edward's student poring over a book and asking questions. Clearly he had put his attitude aside and was taking an interest and I smiled to myself, knowing it was Edward's skill that had prompted the change. By the time the class was over and Christopher left, he looked much happier and strode out of the house with a casual, "See you tomorrow!" leaving Edward grinning from ear to ear.

"Feel better?" I queried.

"Yeah, I know, I was a jerk."

"I was nervous too when I got my first client," I reminded him. "You were awesome."

The rest of the week continued in the same way, with Christopher arriving every morning and becoming slowly more interested in what he was studying, while I coached in the yard. We were spending more and more time in PA as Carlisle had now called an end to the patrols, deeming them no longer necessary, although we continued to go over to Forks twice a week to see the Cullens and the pack.

Liam called me on Friday to let me know that Marvin Rivers had been arrested, shortly after he put his house up for sale and that the other kid who had been victimised by him had given a full statement to the police and said he would be willing to speak in court if he needed to. His parents had been horrified, but proud of him for speaking out and Wolf, although he said nothing, seemed relieved and much more relaxed than he'd been since I'd known him.

School was out for the summer, but Edward and I were busier than ever - me taking on two boys and a girl who wanted to top up their skills before going to college in the fall on sports scholarships and Edward having three new history students in similar positions to Christopher. All had to pass the same exam and eventually Edward was holding a class of four in the living room every morning, deciding it made more sense to teach them all at once. They weren't all from the same school, but bouncing ideas off each other seemed to help their studies and all the parents were happy with Edward's approach.

One Sunday Carlisle and Esme invited everyone over for the afternoon, grilling a mountain of steaks, chicken, corn and other items. Although the vampires would probably never be welcome on the Reservation, the pack could visit them without a problem and Esme enjoyed having them over so that she could feed them up. My sisters were monopolising Edward as usual as they sat on a bench beneath the trees, waiting for the first of the food to be ready. As usual, Claire was dressed in jeans and a shirt, her hair scraped back into a messy bun while Chloe wore a pretty frock and earrings, her hair in a fancy type of braid. They couldn't have been more different from each other and I grinned to myself as I watched them, Chloe sitting primly with her legs crossed and Claire sprawling with one ankle resting on her knee, almost like a boy in her manner. She reminded me very much of Zara when I thought about it.

"Have you heard from Wolf?" Liam asked me suddenly.

"No, why?"

"I tried calling him earlier; I thought he'd be here," he said.

"Maybe this is too much like being sociable for him," I grinned.

However, minutes later Wolf appeared, wearing jean shorts, a wife-beater and sneakers, a scowl on his face that we hadn't seen for a while. He came over to me and stood grinding his teeth, arms folded, shoulder muscles popping.

"What's wrong?"

"I had a fight with my Dad. He's determined to make me go back to school and I haven't found a job yet so I guess I can't get out of it. No one wants to take on a sixteen-year-old with no qualifications. I thought...I dunno, I guess Edward was right." He grimaced as if he hated having to say such a thing.

"Is it really so bad? Two years isn't long, Wolf, and when you graduate you'll have a lot more options."

"Yeah, like going to college!" he spat. "That's what Dad wants me to do."

"When you're eighteen and have finished school, there'll be more options for work," I said. "Not that college is a bad thing. You might find something that you really want to do there."

"I doubt that. I want to be working; I want my own money; my own life," he grumbled.

"Jeez, Wolf, will you cheer up?" Liam said suddenly, appearing on his other side and giving him a shove. "This is a party."

"I hate parties."

"You haven't even met Jake's family yet; at least say hello."

"Liam...give him some space," I said.

"It's ok. I should speak to your Mom and Dad." Wolf almost seemed to shake himself and I led him over to where my parents were talking to Esme and introduced them. They shook hands and Mom commented on what a big guy Wolf was, making him grin briefly. Claire appeared in a second and butted in to introduce herself.

"I've heard a lot about you," she said.

"Like what?" Wolf looked slightly pained as if he expected the only things she could have heard would be bad.

"How you've been trying to find a job. It's a shame you don't live in Neah Bay, you could have worked for Dad."

"Oh! Yeah...well, it looks like I'm going to have to go back to school," sighed Wolf.

"You look too big for school. How old are you?" Claire said.

"Claire, where are your manners?" Mom frowned at her.

"It's alright, Ms Lester. I'm sixteen," Wolf answered.

"You look as old as Jake, almost."

"Claire, where's your sister?" Mom asked suddenly.

"Talking to Edward. I doubt you'll pry them apart for the afternoon. They're talking about teaching and college. Ugh!" Claire grimaced.

Chloe and Edward didn't move from the bench until Carlisle began handing out plates of food and then she left Edward and headed slowly towards the grill. I took a plate piled high with steak, corn and baked potato and sat in her place beside Edward.

"Wolf seems to have cheered up," he commented.

"Yeah, he's just fed up because his Dad won't let him leave school and is talking about college now, too." I shoved a bite of steak into my mouth and glanced around at the others. Liam was now talking to Dad and Quil stood with Mom and Claire. Wolf had a plate of food in one hand and an extra chicken drumstick in the other, his teeth buried in the flesh as he hovered near the grill, no doubt intent on eating enough room on his plate to take more food.

"What a pig," Edward said quietly.

"You never say that about me," I grinned.

"May I have some chicken, please?" I heard Chloe politely ask Carlisle. I looked at her and smiled, so prim and pretty standing next to Wolf with his mountain of food and his mouth crammed full. She took her plate and turned to look up at him, having to crane her neck until her eyes reached his face and then my hand froze with a piece of food halfway to my mouth.

"Fuck," I said under my breath. Wolf's eyes were fixed on my sister's face, his jaw frozen mid-chew, while she continued looking up at him quizzically. I dumped my plate on the bench beside me and lurched to my feet.

"Jacob, what's wrong?" Edward stood and grabbed my arm.

"Wolf Imprinted."

Wolf and Chloe both turned away from the grill and Wolf's gaze landed on me next. He looked shell-shocked and then alarmed and all I could feel was rage and a need to protect my sister. She was thirteen and he was big and angry and screwed up and not what I wanted for her. My parents would be furious and horrified. I took a step towards him and then another, realising that everyone else around us had paused in what they were doing and were watching, aware that something was going on, but unsure what. Wolf's expression changed to fear and his plate fell to the ground, drawing everyone's attention to him alone.

"Jacob..." Edward caught my arm again and I shook him off. Wolf turned and ran into the trees, phasing mid-stride before he had gone even three paces and then fleeing, the sound of him snarling echoing back to us.

A growl burst from me and I began to unfasten my shirt, ready to go after him, hunt him down and...I had no idea what I would do. I knew how it felt, what he would be going through right now, but she was _my little sister._

"Don't, Jacob!" Edward's arms came around me from behind and pinned me to him, steel bands preventing me from moving an inch and I forced my wolf to subside, knowing I couldn't phase this close to him without risk of hurting him.

"Let me go," I said through my teeth.

"Think about this. You know what it's like. Fate's choice, right? I know it's not what you want for her, but there's nothing you can do about it now."

"I know that!" I hissed.

"How do you think he's feeling right now? He probably thinks you're going to attack him."

"How can you be so damned calm about this? You've known her since she was eight! He's not right for her! She's too young!"

"What's going on?" Dad appeared in front of me and I groaned inwardly. "What are you talking about?"

"Jake...you should tell them. I'll go after Wolf," Edward said quietly.

"He won't listen to you. Besides, I'm his Alpha, it should be me."

"You're not in any fit state right now, Jacob. I'll make him listen to me and you can talk to him when you calm down."

"Jacob! What's made you so angry?" Mom came to Dad's side and I sighed heavily. Edward's arms released me and he stepped away and then blurred into the trees, heading in the same direction Wolf had gone. Claire and Chloe were looking from one person to another in bemusement, no doubt astounded by Wolf's sudden phase.

"Come and sit down," I said to my parents, indicating the bench I had sat on with Edward. This was something I wanted to tell them even less than the part where I would never age and would eventually leave them and as I made myself calm down, I knew they would refuse to let Wolf anywhere near Chloe, which would make him suffer horribly. My own anger at him quickly began to dissipate as I remembered myself a very long time ago, writhing and crying in agony on my bed when Embry told me that Edward had left town. I couldn't be angry with Wolf; he didn't set out to choose Chloe. Fate had seen fit to pair them together for some unknown reason. I didn't think he was at all suitable for the little princess that was Chloe, but I supposed stranger things had happened. Fate had put me and Edward together and I hadn't been able to understand that either at one time, but now I thanked God every day that it had done so.

"Claire, Chloe, why don't you come into the house and help me get out the desserts?" Esme said, quickly realising a discussion was about to begin which probably wasn't for the girls' ears.

"We haven't finished the main yet," Claire protested.

"Go on," Mom said quickly.

The girls followed Esme and I took a deep breath.

"You're not going to like this."

They didn't like it. Mom was shocked and upset while Dad was furious. Me explaining how it felt to Imprint and what it meant made things worse rather than better. Everything else I had ever told him had been accepted easily, but when it came to my sisters it was a different matter. Dad had no intention of letting Wolf anywhere near Chloe again and if he suffered, it was too bad.

"Dad, Chloe is eventually going to feel the effects of this too, unless she rejects him," I said.

"She _will_ reject him," Dad growled. "I am not letting that boy see her. This isn't the kind of life I want for her, caught up in all of this supernatural drama! We're going home; come on, Louise."

I sat there, shocked, as he pulled Mom to her feet and strode towards the house, calling for my sisters. When they emerged, he grabbed each of them by the hand and began to march them, both protesting, to the car.

"What the hell happened? Did Wolf Imprint on one of your sisters?" Liam asked me.

"Yeah, on Chloe."

"Shit."

"Exactly. I was mad at first, but how can I be? We know what it's like...I know what he's going to go through. My first time around, I couldn't be with Edward to begin with. Days away from him and I was in agony, physically as well as mentally. I thought I was going to die. How can I be angry with Wolf? It's not like he chose her."

"I bet he's not what you would have picked for your sister though."

"No, but that's not the issue any more, is it? My parents aren't going to let him near her and it's going to affect her too after a while. Fuck. What am I gonna do?"

"You'll figure it out, somehow. If I can do anything..."

"Thanks, Liam. I guess we're just gonna have to play it by ear. I'll have to talk to my parents again when they calm down."

With the party well and truly over, I explained to the Cullens what was going on, while Liam and Quil made efforts to munch their way through as much of the grilled food as they could. There was still no sign of Edward and Wolf and I was beginning to wonder if I should go after them, when eventually Edward appeared.

"I found him, but he's going to need something to wear."

"There are a few of my things still here," I remembered. "How is he?"

"Scared." Edward vanished into the house and returned seconds later with a pair of my jog pants which he disappeared into the trees with, before emerging again and waiting for Wolf. Most of the other vampires had gone back into the house now and Edward suggested that Liam and Quil take off, then went indoors himself, leaving only me in the clearing. After another minute or so, Wolf stepped out of the trees, biting his lip and looking set to turn tail and run.

"Sit down, Wolf." I indicated one of the benches and he dropped onto it quickly and sank his head into his hands.

"I'm so sorry, Jake. I didn't mean for that to happen. How was I supposed to know? I barely even looked at her. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it. I..."

"Wolf, stop," I said quietly.

"Aren't you mad?" He raised his head and looked at me anxiously.

"Of course I'm mad. She's thirteen years old; I didn't want this for her, but clearly fate did and there's no point me raging about it or blaming you. I know how it feels, remember? I've been through it twice and the first time, I suffered for it. I've told you the story before. I can't be angry with you for something that isn't your fault, when I know how it's going to hurt you."

"Do your parents know?"

"Yeah, I had to tell them."

"I'm guessing your Dad couldn't wait to get her away from me."

"He's not happy."

"What will I do? I mean...will it wear off, if I don't see her?"

"No, it won't wear off, Wolf. The only thing that will break it is her rejecting you, or her dying, both of which will be pretty painful for you for a long time."

"Then what do I do?"

"I'm gonna have to try talking to my parents again and explaining it to them. I did already, but Dad's not in a mood to listen. The one thing in your favour is that this will affect Chloe too. Not so much, but enough to cause her discomfort. You know the course of Imprinting, right?"

"Yeah...friend and protector if they're really young. God, why did this happen to me? I don't want it," Wolf groaned. "Even if she was my age...with everything that's happened I'm not ready for this. I don't want the responsibility and I certainly don't want a girl. I mean...that's not quite what I meant. I like girls, but even if she was my age, you wouldn't have to worry about me doing anything. I couldn't; I'm too fucked up still."

"Wolf, calm down." I found myself feeling more and more sorry for him. He had been through so much recently and Imprinting on someone that he wouldn't be able to see easily wasn't going to help matters. I couldn't see my Dad changing his mind, no matter what I said, but I kept this to myself for the moment. I was Wolf's Alpha and I knew he trusted me to sort things out, while I didn't even know if I could.

"What are you going to do?" Edward asked me as we drove home later. I had filled him in on the conversation with Wolf and he was relieved that I hadn't lost my temper.

"I don't know. I'll have to try talking to my parents again. I don't want Wolf with Chloe, now or in the future, but there's not much I can do about it, is there? The only thing I can do is try to help him."

"Aren't you worried about him being around her? What were you like at sixteen? Full of raging hormones?"

"Fuck, Edward!" I shuddered at the thought of Wolf having those kinds of thoughts about my thirteen-year-old sister, until I reminded myself what the boy had said. "I don't think we would need to worry about that in the short term. You know what he's been through. He said as much to me - he's nowhere near ready for anything, even if she was his age. In an ideal world, my Dad would agree to them seeing each other, supervised by him or Mom or me and you, but I can't see that happening."

The next day as soon as I knew my parents would be home from work, I went over to Neah Bay to talk to them again. My sisters went out to see some of their friends for a while and I was able to speak to them without fear of being overheard, but Dad wouldn't listen, just as I expected. Mom was a little more willing to hear me out, but no less adamant that Wolf be kept well away from Chloe. Their main fear seemed to be that a sixteen-year-old boy would be thinking of nothing but how to get his hands on any girl that was willing and as try as I might, I couldn't make them understand that when an Imprint was so much younger than the wolf, he would treat her as a sister and protect her in the same way that Edward and I did. I was reluctant to betray Wolf's confidence by hinting at what had happened to him, because although it may make them more sympathetic towards him, it might also make them more wary, if they thought he may be damaged in such a way.

I described myself; how I had felt when I couldn't see Edward; how the physical pain had made me sick, made me lose pounds in weight, how I felt I would die if I couldn't just catch one glimpse of him and I could see Mom softening when I detailed all of this, but Dad silently fumed and wouldn't budge. I was forced to give up and go home, but I determinedly returned the next evening, knowing that Wolf would already be starting to feel uncomfortable. He hadn't contacted me, but I imagined that even if he were really suffering, he probably wouldn't dare ask if there was any chance he could see her.

"Why don't you let me talk to them?" Edward asked when I returned home Tuesday night with the same news as the previous day. "You said your Dad's pissed at you for repeating yourself, but maybe if I tell him how it feels from my side? It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"I guess. I'm kind of torn - on one hand I want them to see each other because I know how he'll feel and on the other...I can still get where my Dad's coming from."

"Let's go over there tomorrow," Edward said. "I'll talk to them. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. What else can we do, except smuggle him over here and plot some clandestine meeting?"

"God, my Dad would kill me if he caught us doing that," I groaned.

"Exactly. So we have to do it the right way. Maybe we could figure out some way of us bringing Wolf over here and spending time with both girls. I don't know; let me try."

I nodded. "You may as well; you can get around most people."

When we arrived at my parents' house the next evening, Mom greeted us with a somewhat resigned look and said that Dad was watching television and didn't want to discuss the matter any more. Edward slipped into the living room to try talking to him, but he emerged ten minutes later, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I tried, but he told me to leave."

We left. There wasn't really anything else we could do and it was the weekend before anything changed. Early Saturday morning, Wolf Senior called me to say that Wolf had been getting sick. It had seemed like a fever at first with aching limbs and loss of appetite, but that morning he couldn't get out of bed and appeared to be in agony. His father was about to call a doctor, but Wolf had apparently protested and gasped out my name instead. When I mentioned the word 'Imprint', it was clear that the boy hadn't told his father what had happened and I promised to get over to La Push quickly to see him, although what I was going to do, I had no idea.

Edward was busy marking his students' work and I took the truck and went alone, desperately trying to think of something that might make my parents change their minds. As the sign for Neah Bay came into view, I remembered that Dad was working; he worked six days a week now he ran his own business and Mom would probably be home alone, the girls out with their friends. I swerved off the road and headed to the house, wondering if my idea would work. Mom couldn't stand to see anyone suffer. I found her doing housework and no sign of Claire and Chloe.

"Hey, Mom, where's everyone?"

"I didn't expect to see you today, honey." She stopped dusting and gave me a kiss. "Your sisters are at friends' houses."

"I need to ask you a favour. It's really important. One of my pack is sick and I want you to come see him."

"Oh, Jacob, I don't know them really. I'm not sure what you think I can do."

"Please. Just see him for five minutes," I begged.

"It's that Lahote boy, isn't it?" she said sceptically.

"Yes. Please trust me. You know I would never do anything that would hurt my sisters, but this...is hurting Wolf. Just come see him and then tell me what you think. I promise I will drop it after this if you still think I'm wrong."

Eventually she agreed and I was actually surprised that she hadn't put her foot down and refused. I guessed Mom always wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt and ten minutes later she was in the truck and we were racing over to La Push. I drove straight to Wolf's house and parked behind his father's truck. The man opened the door before we were even out of the vehicle and I jogged around to the passenger side to help Mom down, quickly introducing her to Wolf Senior. He led us into the house and to Wolf's room.

Although I knew what to expect from my own experiences, I was still shocked when I saw him. He writhed on the bed, dressed only in a pair of shorts, his body shiny with sweat and his ribs visible, his whole body seeming to have shrunk. He panted as if he had been running and every so often let out a groan or a choking sob.

"Oh my God!" gasped Mom. "He doesn't even look like the same boy. What's wrong with him?"

"Chloe," I said simply.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

"Will he get better?" Mom asked.

"No. He'll stay like this, or possibly get weaker and die," I said baldly. Wolf groaned and turned his face into the pillow while his father cursed under his breath and then muttered an apology. I was surprised he wasn't raging, but imagined he was trying to control himself in front of my mother.

"I don't really understand how this works, Jacob," Mom sighed. "How can he get so sick from just not seeing someone?"

"When you Imprint...when I Imprinted on Edward, it's like that person is all there is for those few moments; then they become the centre of your world. You can't function without at least seeing them from a distance. When Edward died, I got like this and I knew I would die a slow and painful death eventually."

"I thought you died protecting your home!" Mom exclaimed.

"Well...um...Edward did. I couldn't go on without him so I...put myself in a position where our enemy would take me," I said awkwardly, inwardly cursing.

"Oh, Jacob."

"It was a long time ago and at least it had the end result of me catching up to him eventually in this life. Never mind that; we need to think about Wolf."

"Of course. We can't let him suffer like this."

"Well, there's nothing we can do," I responded, glancing sideways at her and hoping she was imagining me lying there in agony like that.

"There is," she said. "Bring him home with us."

"What about Dad?"

"He's still at work, but I'll deal with him later."

"I don't want this to create problems between you."

"It won't."

"Wolf..." I dropped down next to the bed. "We're taking you back to Neah Bay to see your Imprint. You're gonna be ok soon. Best get you in the shower first though. Come on." I tucked a hand under his shoulders and helped him sit up. "You're going to need some help."

"No!" he gasped and pulled away from me quickly. I groaned and backed away, turning to his father. "You had better do it."

"Yeah." Wolf Senior bent over his son and I steered Mom out of the room.

"Is there something else wrong with him?" she asked.

"Uh..." I thought quickly. "Well, I guess he's uncomfortable about a gay man seeing him undressed. It's a bit more awkward than all the pack being together when we phase."

"Oh! Well, yes, I suppose..."

"We'll wait outside!" I called out to Wolf Senior and Mom and I left the house. I was hugely relieved that my plan had worked, although I felt a touch guilty for being so manipulative. I knew that Dad was going to be furious and it would be Mom who bore the brunt of it.

We waited in the truck until Wolf's father brought him outside, freshly showered and wearing jeans and a shirt. He was pale and thin and barely able to stand and his father lifted him up onto the seat where he slumped against the door as soon as it was closed. I shifted the truck into gear and began to drive us back to my parents' house.

"Where is Chloe?" I asked as we neared the Reservation.

"She's at her friend Mary's house. Claire's at another friend's in the same street. I'm very worried this is going to upset them."

"It needn't; they don't even need to know about the Imprint yet. When we get back, if you go collect the girls, Wolf and I will just sit in the yard or something, like he's visiting with me. They don't have to sit with us; so long as he sees her that's all it'll take. He's going to need some food though."

"I baked this morning," Mom said. "Are you sure this is just...you know, like you said? He'll be as a kind of brother to her?"

"I'm positive. Wolves have been known to Imprint on babies before now. They adopt the role of brother and protector and keep phasing to halt their aging until their Imprint catches up. Wolf will remain sixteen for all intents and purposes until Chloe is older. Obviously there's still a chance she would reject him, but it's not common for that to happen. She'll feel the connection to him eventually. The Cullens used to tell me Edward felt as if he were missing a limb when I wasn't around." I grinned at the memory.

When we pulled up at the house I jumped out of the truck, jogging around to the other side to help Wolf. As I opened the door he practically tumbled into my arms and I carried him around the back of the house to the yard and lowered him into one of the chairs there.

"I'm sorry about this," he said shakily. "What must your mother think of me?"

"She feels sorry that you're suffering, that's all."

"Your Dad'll kill me."

"No, he won't. We'll work it out somehow." I went into the house and fetched a large plate full of the fresh muffins Mom had made and passed one to Wolf. He nibbled half-heartedly at it as Mom set off again in her car to get my sisters.

"What if she hates me?" Wolf asked.

"You mean Chloe? I don't think she will."

"She's so little and delicate and I'm...huge and rough and probably scary to her."

"She'll get used to you," I said firmly.

"She might not."

"Let's just see, ok?"

It was fifteen minutes before Mom returned and Wolf put down the half-eaten muffin and chewed his lip nervously. He was still shivering all over and a narrow damp line had formed down the back of his shirt.

"Jacob!" Claire appeared around the corner of the house at a run and then halted quickly when she saw I wasn't alone; apparently Mom hadn't told them about our visitor. "Oh, hey, Wolf. Are you ok? You look like you've been sick."

"I...uh...I had the flu," he said awkwardly.

"You should eat some of those muffins; Mom's baking is the best."

"Where's Chloe?" I asked.

"She'll be here in a minute, she won't want to run in case she musses her hair or something." Claire wrinkled her nose and dropped down cross-legged on the grass in front of us, rather than sit on a chair. "Can I have one of those?" She indicated the muffins.

"As long as you don't spoil your dinner," I said.

"You sound like Mom." She screwed up her face again and helped herself to one of the muffins. "I bet you don't say that to Edward," she added with a smirk.

Wolf's lips twitched slightly and then his head jerked up and his slouching posture straightened. I didn't have to look around to know that Chloe had appeared and was coming to join us.

"Hey, Jacob," she said and then halted a few feet away, glancing at Wolf. "Mom didn't say you had a friend here."

"You don't mind, do you?" I said. "You met Wolf at the Cullens' grill last week."

"Yes, I remember. Hello, Wolf."

"Hey, Chloe." He had stopped shaking and his face had brightened.

"You dropped your food and turned into a wolf and ran away," she added. "Were you upset about something?"

"Um...I...I suppose I was a little on edge with all those vampires around me," Wolf said with a smile.

"You shouldn't worry about them; they're all lovely," Chloe said. "Especially Aunt Esme. Her cooking's almost as good as Mom's. It's a shame none of them can eat any of it."

I heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back in my chair. She was talking to him, rather less shyly than I would have expected and his entire demeanour had immediately changed. He picked up the half-eaten muffin again and then remembered his manners and asked Chloe if she would like one.

"Oh, no thank you, it'll spoil dinner."

"Speak for yourself," mumbled Claire, her mouth full.

I wondered what, if anything, Wolf would find to talk about, but he did well enough, including Claire in the conversation as well as he asked about their school and friends and what they liked doing. Claire replied more than Chloe did and eventually asked Wolf if he would play football with her. By this time he had eaten most of the muffins on the plate and got up to do so, leaving Chloe sitting with me.

"He's not how I expected him to be," she said.

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know, I suppose he looked bad-tempered and kind of scary last week. I'm surprised he wants to bother talking to me and Claire."

"Wolf's a pretty decent guy," I said. "He's had a tough time lately, but underneath, he's nice. He doesn't have sisters of his own; he probably wishes he had some now he's met you."

"Well, he can share," Chloe smiled. "Remember when Edward first came because his parents didn't want him for Christmas and he was upset? We kind of adopted him. Claire obviously likes Wolf; anybody that will play football with her gets the thumbs up."

"Maybe I'll bring him over more often then and we could all do some things together," I suggested.

"Won't Dad mind? He went weird last week after Wolf ran away. I wondered if it was because he turned into a wolf and Dad thought we'd be scared. We weren't, you know, we were just wondering what happened."

"Dad might take a bit of convincing, but Mom will talk to him," I replied.

"Maybe if we put in a good word for Wolf, that'll help."

Wolf stayed another hour and then called his Dad to collect him, thinking he had better not outstay his welcome and I suspected he didn't want to have to face my Dad just yet. After he left, Mom talked to me, amazed by the almost immediate change in Wolf. Other than looking a little thin, he now appeared to be more or less his usual self, but she was concerned about how regularly he would need to see Chloe in order to avoid suffering again.

"About every two or three days at first," I said. "It gets to the point where even a few hours hurts though. I don't see how we're going to get Dad to agree to this."

"Like I said, I'll talk to him," Mom said. "I'm not particularly over the moon about the fact that Wolf is tied to our little girl, but seeing him like that at his father's house...we'll work something out, somehow." She shuddered suddenly. "I imagined that was you lying there."

I still felt guilty about manipulating Mom in such a way, but at least it had achieved the desired result; actually a much better one than I'd expected. I didn't want to hold my breath about Dad, however, and I went home before he finished work. All I could do was wait to hear from Mom and hope for the best and I filled Edward in on what had happened while I waited, repeatedly glancing at the phone and willing it to ring. Eventually it did, just before nine o'clock.

"Mom?" I answered.

"No, it's Dad."

I waited anxiously to hear what he had to say next, imagining it wasn't going to be anything good. He would have been furious to learn that Mom and I had taken Wolf to the house to see Chloe after he'd been so vehemently against it. However, somehow Mom had managed to work her magic on him. He was very displeased about the impromptu visit and not in the least happy about having to agree to repeats of it, but despite all that, Mom's description of the state of Wolf and insistance that Chloe would begin to suffer too had eventually swayed him. He reluctantly agreed to two visits each week on the condition that either he or Mom were present and preferably either Edward or me as well. Wolf could spend time with me at the house in order to be in Chloe's presence, but on no account where we to take the girls out anywhere or meet with Wolf without one of my parents being home.

I agreed immediately. Two days a week would still be very difficult for Wolf, but it was better than nothing. It was only after this was all discussed that I received the tongue-lashing I'd been expecting. Usually if Dad had something to say he would get it off his chest immediately, but instead he held off, apparently deeming Chloe's situation more important. I had only really felt his anger at me on rare occasions when I'd been growing up, but now he made no attempt to hide how furious he was that I'd used Mom's soft and caring nature to get around her by letting her see what I'd been through myself.

"You're a grown man, Jacob! A married man! This is the type of behaviour I would have expected from a teenager!" he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry," I said. It was something that I'd uttered half a dozen times already during the conversation. "I felt bad about it at the time. Mom understands why I did it..."

"I know she does and so do I, but it doesn't make it any better."

"You're not mad with her, are you? For going behind your back?" I queried.

"Of course not. I'm mad with you, but I'll get over it. I'll say goodnight now, but before I go, this thing with Wolf...this had better not come back to bite me, Jacob. I'm holding you entirely responsible for anything that he may or may not do and like I said, I've only agreed to any of it for Chloe's sake."

"I know," I said meekly. "Thanks, Dad."

As soon as he hung up, I called Wolf to tell him the news. He was hugely relieved and promised to stick to whatever schedule I wanted to work out with my parents. His father had agreed to let him use his truck to drive over to Neah Bay so that none of us would be required to drive him back and forth.

Wednesday was the first day when Wolf came back to Neah Bay. I had driven straight over to my parents' house after I finished with my last training session of the day and ate dinner with them. Then Wolf arrived shortly after, looking extremely nervous. Physically he looked much better than he had at the weekend, but I knew he would be feeling the pain of separation in his chest like he had been punched with a steel fist.

Unusually for Washington, there had been no rain for over a week and my sisters were sitting in the yard working on a summer project for school. After a brief and very awkward chat with Dad during which Wolf looked as if he wanted to turn tail and run, I took him outside to sit near the girls. Chloe was working diligently, writing something in her notebook, while Claire sprawled on the lawn, doodling. I could see she had drawn a picture of a wolf and was in the process of adding a figure standing next to it.

"It's you and Edward," she said with a grin. "What colour wolf are you?"

"Reddish brown. Shouldn't you be working on your school stuff?"

"Ugh, Jacob, it'll get done, I'd rather do it when it rains and we're stuck indoors. I bet you were a real teacher's pet at school, weren't you?"

"Only in Phys Ed." I glanced over at Wolf who was sitting in one of the other chairs, not next to Chloe, but a few feet away. She had put her pen down and was asking him if he had any luck finding a job yet. I was pleased that so far she seemed receptive to him and the next couple of hours passed well enough. Wolf played football with Claire again and asked if she could draw his wolf. Chloe employed him to help pinpoint various cities on a map of the States. I knew he had hated school and with the situations with Marvin Rivers and joining the pack he had missed quite a bit of it, but he seemed to know his geography well enough.

After Wolf left, Dad talked to me and admitted that he had been watching out of the window and had relaxed a little when he observed that Wolf behaved towards both girls in much the same way that Edward and I did and was only surprised that the boy had no siblings of his own.

"What's he doing with his life?" he asked. "Is he intending to go to college?"

"His father wants him to, but he's not keen on the idea and especially not now. He won't be able to leave the area. He's good with his hands and is trying to find work. His Dad told him if he can get a decent occupation he won't force him to go to college."

I was tempted to broach the subject of Wolf taking an apprenticeship with Dad, despite the distance he would have to travel every day, but I held my tongue and just left the idea out there. Maybe Dad would even end up making the suggestion himself if the boy impressed him enough.

A couple more weeks passed and I knew that the pull of the Imprint was strengthening. Wolf did his best to keep it to himself, but Liam called me one Friday to tell me that he was suffering. Wednesday through Sunday was way too long and he was growing worried about his friend, knowing from his own experience with his Imprint on Emma how Wolf would be feeling. I knew well enough myself and Edward and I went to my parents' house early on Sunday morning to see if we could get Dad to agree to more regular visits. I was shocked to find Mom packing up a picnic basket and Dad putting a few things in the truck.

"We can't go today, Wolf comes over on Sundays," Chloe was saying.

"Today is the only day I don't work," Dad said.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We're taking the girls out on a boat trip and a hike."

"I don't want to go," Chloe pouted. "Can't I stay here?"

"On your own? No," Dad replied.

"I could stay with Jacob. Please."

"It's one day, that's all."

"Dad, it's too long," I said to his retreating back as he went to speak to Mom.

"Why's he doing this? He knows Wolf always comes over on Sundays. If he told us earlier we were going on this trip, Wolf could have come yesterday. I miss him. _We _miss him," Chloe said tearfully. "He's fun, he's like another big brother."

"Maybe he can come over this evening," I suggested.

"Do you think he'll miss us?" Chloe asked. "I always wonder if he gets bored with us. We're just kids really; wouldn't he rather have friends his own age?"

"I know he'll miss you," I said with a sigh. "He thinks of you as his sisters."

"He can come over for an hour tonight," Dad said as he came back into the room. "You better let him know, Jacob."

"Let's go," I said to Edward. "I'm not calling, I want to see Wolf."

"Do you think he'll be alright?"

"It won't be easy. Four days is way too long as it is."

"Chloe's feeling it too," he told me as we set off in his car. "She doesn't understand why, but she feels sick inside, like there's an empty space in her chest. It's how I feel when we're apart."

"Damnit," I groaned. "I'm going to have to stop wasting time and ask Dad if Wolf can work for him."

"You think he'll go for it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Edward drove to the Cullens' and then I took his car to continue to La Push, finding Wolf getting into his father's truck ready to drive over to Neah Bay. He looked devastated when I told him he would have to wait until the evening.

"I can't do this," he groaned. "It's fucking killing me. I didn't even want it in the first place. There must be a way."

"I'm sorry, there isn't," I said.

"How can I live like this? A few fucking hours a week! I understand where your Dad's coming from; I mean who would want me hanging around their daughter, even if she was grown up? But I feel like I'm dying in between the times I see her. I know you don't want to hear that about your sister, Jake, but I swear, I don't think of her any different than you do, I..."

"I know that, Wolf, it's alright."

"Are you staying for a while?" he asked. "The other guys are busy; Liam's with Emma and Quil's helping his Gramps with something."

"I'll stay," I nodded and pulled my phone out to text Edward to let him know what I was doing. Just as I was about to return my phone to my pocket, it bleeped with an incoming message and I assumed it was the usual lightning response I received from Edward.

_'Where does Wolf live?' _It was from Claire. Rather than text, I called her.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"We're coming to see Wolf. We're on the Res bus that goes right through to La Push."

"Oh, God," I groaned. "Dad's going to kill me."

"No he won't, it's not your fault. Chloe won't stop crying; she says she feels sick because Wolf's not here. I don't get it; I mean, he's nice and all, but..."

"Look, I'm going to have to explain a few things to you about that," I said reluctantly. "Where do Mom and Dad think you are?"

"They don't know. Dad went to the bathroom so we sneaked out and ran to the bus. They keep trying to call us, but Chloe turned her phone off and I'm just ignoring it."

"I'll call them," I said, cringing at the thought. Dad would probably be livid, not least because I was going to have to tell the girls about the Imprint. "I'll meet you off the bus when it gets here; how long ago did you set off?"

"About ten minutes."

"It'll be an hour or so then."

"What happened?" Wolf asked anxiously. "Are they alright?"

"They're on the bus coming here. Chloe's feeling the Imprint," I said. "Dad's not going to be happy," As I spoke my phone rang again and it was Dad.

"Have you heard from your sisters?" he demanded.

"Yes, just a minute ago. They're on the bus to La Push." I explained what Claire had said while Dad grumbled and cursed and eventually Mom took the phone from him and came on the line.

"Jacob, just meet them off the bus and make sure they get home safely later, alright." Her voice faded a little as if she'd moved the phone away from her mouth. "No, Tom, this is about Chloe now. If she's feeling it, then it's already gone far enough. I won't see her hurt."

"Give me the phone, Louise."

"Dad?"

"As much as it pains me to say this, that boy's going to have to come over here more often," he said grudgingly.

"Really?" Suddenly I was filled with hope. I knew Dad understood the position, but when it came to the girls, he was so protective I had expected him to hold firm, regardless of how bad Chloe felt.

"You know how much I adore your sisters, Jacob, I don't want to see her in a state like this. I don't like it, not one bit, but it seems I have no choice."

"Wolf would never hurt Chloe," I said.

"Yes, I suppose I'm beginning to see that."

"I have a suggestion."

"Go on," Dad sighed.

"You talked about getting an apprentice; would you consider taking on Wolf? I know the distance is a problem, but maybe we could figure something out." I wracked my brains, wondering if there was somewhere in or near Neah Bay where Wolf could stay during the week.

"He's not staying here! Don't even think about it!"

"I wasn't...I was wondering...Gramps and Uncle Dale are getting to need help quite a bit. How about...if he lodged with them? I mean, he could do some chores, clean up, fetch the groceries...make things easier for them?" I glanced at Wolf and his face was a picture of excitement and hope as he listened to my side of the conversation.

"Hmm," Dad said.

"You were talking about getting someone to help them," I reminded him.

"Well...look, Jacob, I'll think about it, alright? That's all I can give you right now."

"That's good enough," I agreed at once. "Thanks, Dad, for being so understanding."

"I haven't really had much choice, have I?" he said wryly. "I'll see you later."

"What did he say?" Wolf asked eagerly when I hung up.

"He's thinking about it, but if I know Mom, she'll persuade him if he doesn't come around to it himself. Would your Dad mind if this worked out?"

"Hell, no, he'll be glad not to have me moaning and groaning all the time."

"Well, I'll talk to him after I speak to my Dad again," I said.

An hour later we went to meet the bus outside the gas station. Claire and Chloe were at the front of the short line of people waiting to get off and both jumped from the top step in their eagerness. For once they looked almost identical, both dressed in jean shorts and t-shirts, hair tied back in tails. Chloe's red face and puffy eyes gave her away, but her expression changed the minute she joined us and Wolf lit up as if someone had flicked a switch in his head. I heaved a sigh of relief and suggested that we head over the Cullens' for a while so that Edward could be with us too.

Since I was driving Edward's car which could only take one passenger, Wolf brought his father's truck and my sisters rode with him. The short drive gave me the opportunity to try to work out how I was going to tell the girls about the Imprint, but I knew now I had no choice.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Only Edward and Esme were at the house when we arrived. Carlisle was at the hospital and the other vampires were out hunting. Esme went to fix some snacks and Edward talked to Wolf while I took my sisters into the music room to explain the situation. I hardly knew how to begin, despite rehearsing it a dozen times on the drive from La Push and I knew Dad was probably going to be furious with me later.

"What's wrong, Jacob?" Chloe asked.

"There's something I need to tell you two; it's important and I'm hoping it doesn't upset you."

"Why would we be upset?" Claire asked. "What did you do?"

"I haven't done anything; it's about Wolf."

"Is he sick again?" Chloe's eyes widened and she chewed her lip.

"No, he's not sick, I promise."

She relaxed immediately. "What then?"

"Remember me telling you about Imprinting a while ago? How I Imprinted on Edward?"

"Uh huh," Claire nodded.

"You know that when I can't see him for a while it hurts; makes me sick and weak..."

"Yes. What has this to do with Wolf?"

"Is that why...?" Chloe stared hard at me, her brows drawn together. "Is that why he was sick? Does he have an Imprint he can't see?"

"Yes. He hadn't seen her for a week and that's like a lifetime to a wolf."

"Oh."

"Remember the grill when Wolf dropped his food and ran off? Do you remember him looking at you strangely before that?" I asked.

"Holy shit! Wolf Imprinted on ___Chloe?"_Claire cried.

I wasn't sure if the pair of them guessing half of the answers made things easier or not and I looked from one to the other to gauge their reactions. Claire now looked horrified, while Chloe seemed to be going over things in her head; perhaps remembering what had happened.

"That's just creepy," Claire went on. "Why would he Imprint on a kid? Is that why Dad was so mad? Why Mom and Dad were fighting after he came to our house?"

I groaned inwardly. Mom had made light of it, but I'd worried that Dad would have been angry with her for letting Wolf visit. "Listen to me," I said. "Imprinting is fate's way of choosing someone for a wolf that seems most suitable for him. We can't choose ourselves and sometimes that a good thing, sometimes it's not. When I first Imprinted on Edward, I was horrified. We were enemies and I couldn't understand why a male vampire would be chosen for me. It helped me get over the feelings I had for a girl I couldn't be with and it helped him when his girl died. We supported each other and the pull of the Imprint made us strong together. It's a mostly unbreakable connection, unless the Imprinted person rejects it."

"You are going to reject it, aren't you?" Claire said to her sister. "I mean, Wolf is cool, but he's too old and Dad thinks he's a deadbeat."

"That's going to have to be for Chloe to decide," I said. "As for his age...it's not that unusual for wolves to Imprint on people much younger than them, even babies. They simply halt their aging by repeatedly phasing and wait for their Imprint to catch up to them."

"So Wolf would keep doing that until Chloe's sixteen?" Claire asked. "It's still weird. It means she won't have any choice; she's gonna have to marry him one day and she won't get to date different boys to find out who she likes."

"What if I don't want to date different boys?" Chloe said.

"Haven't you heard the expression 'try before you buy'? When I'm old enough to date, I don't plan to date just one boy and then marry him."

Chloe wrinkled her nose. "Jacob didn't do that, did you? You only dated Suzannah and then Edward."

"Well, I don't plan on dating a girl to see if I like them too. Eww!"

"Girls..." I sighed.

"Jacob, is this why I feel weird?" Chloe looked up at me again. "Why I miss Wolf so much? I thought I was going to throw up when we found out he couldn't come over this morning. I hardly know him, but it was like my best friend had been taken away from me. Is that because of the Imprint?"

"Yes, that's why," I nodded. "Edward feels pain just as I do when we're apart. Not as strongly, but one of his brothers once said he was acting as if he was missing a limb when I wasn't there."

Chloe nodded sombrely. "So how could I reject him then? If I feel like this already?"

"I'm not sure that you can. I've never come across the situation," I admitted. "A wolf being rejected, I mean."

"This sucks!" Claire exclaimed. "Basically you're saying that Chloe is stuck with Wolf whether she likes it or not?"

"I didn't say I didn't like it. I'm not sure what I think yet."

"But you have to keep seeing him or you get upset. I'm not surprised Dad's so mad. I'm glad he didn't Imprint on me, I want to pick my own boyfriend."

"I'm not even ready to think about boyfriends yet," Chloe grimaced.

"Believe me, that's the last thing on Wolf's mind as well," I told her. "Hasn't he treated you both like sisters so far?"

"I guess." Claire nodded.

"That's all he'll be; a kind of brother; somebody who'll help you out if you're in trouble, or do things like play football or help with your homework. When a wolf Imprints, his sole purpose in life becomes making his Imprint happy, whether that's just being a friend to them, or doing stuff he doesn't like just to please them. You don't have to decide anything now. I think Dad will come around and let him visit more often, because of the way it's making you feel, Chloe, but you don't have to feel under any kind of pressure because of it. Wolf doesn't expect anything from you; he'd just like to hang out with you if you don't mind."

"Seems like she doesn't have any choice," grunted Claire. "I still think it's creepy."

"Can I go talk to him?" Chloe asked.

"Of course," I nodded. "Just stay where we can see you. Wolf would never do anything that would hurt you, but it's what Mom and Dad want, ok? Either me or Edward or one of them are with you if Wolf's around."

"Ok."

Chloe left the room and immediately Claire glared at me. "There are still two other wolves, aren't there? In your pack?"

"Yes, Liam and Quil; why?"

"Do they have Imprints?"

"Liam does."

"Well, will you make sure Quil never gets anywhere near me? I don't want my choices taken away from me like Chloe and if they were, you can be sure I would reject it. She won't even if she wants to; she's too soft."

"Don't you think she'd want your support?"

"She knows she's got my support, I just don't like what's happened and I don't want it to happen to me."

Claire was so like Dad sometimes, it made me smile, while Chloe was calmer and gentler, much more like Mom. I couldn't help thinking that in the long run Chloe might actually be good for Wolf, although it was certainly going to take some of the family a while to see that.

We stayed most of the day at the Cullens'. It had begun to rain and we were confined to the house, so Edward played the piano for a while and then brought out Emmett's computer games. Wolf played with Chloe while Claire sat scowling at him from a distance and I talked to Edward about my chat to my sisters. Not wanting them to hear, I thought and he whispered quietly enough that only I could hear him. Esme made us all an early dinner and then Wolf went home and I borrowed Emmett's truck to take my sisters home, Edward following in the car. Chloe sat in the middle while Claire stared out of the side window silently.

"Jake, what's going to happen now?" Chloe asked.

"Dad's going to be mad as hell that we took off, that's what," muttered Claire.

"I wish you wouldn't swear. One of these days you'll do it at home and Dad will ground you for a month. Jake, what's going to happen about Wolf?"

"I suggested to Dad that he offers Wolf an apprenticeship," I told her.

"But he lives so far away."

"He could maybe stay with Gramps and Uncle Dale. Dad said he'd think about it."

"Won't Wolf's Dad miss him?"

"I expect so, but he'd prefer him to be happy."

"I hope Dad says yes."

"Well, I don't," Claire put in.

"It's not about you. You always get the attention. You're probably just jealous."

"Huh!"

"Well, I like Wolf. He's kind of sweet. I'm not going to reject him," Chloe said firmly. "Even if it didn't make me miserable, I wouldn't."

"You might regret that in a few years' time when you're Chloe Lahote and you end up with a bunch of puppies!" Claire snapped.

"You are such a bitch sometimes!" Chloe retorted.

"Alright! That's enough now, both of you be quiet. I don't want to hear this kind of talk from either of you. You know you're both going to feel badly about it later, so stop before it gets out of hand."

"Sorry," mumbled Claire grudgingly. Chloe just folded her arms and fell silent.

I hated seeing the twins fight and in addition, I wasn't looking forward to seeing Dad. However, I was keen to know if he had made any decision on Wolf potentially working for him and I increased the speed of the truck slightly, wanting to get there and get it over with. The girls went to their rooms when we arrived and I talked to my parents in the kitchen. I admitted that I'd told my sisters about Wolf's Imprint, feeling I had no choice after the way it was already affecting Chloe. Dad's frown deepened and he sighed heavily, but to my surprise, didn't reprimand me.

"I made a decision," he said eventually. "I'm not happy about this - not at all - but I'm thinking of Chloe here. What I've said before still stands; she will not be alone with Wolf without one of us or you and Edward around, but I'm not going to make our little girl suffer for it. I hope she'll come to realise that she doesn't want this, but in the meantime, I'm going to take the boy on as an apprentice and he can stay with your Gramps and Uncle Dale during the week like you suggested. He'll pay them for his food out of the wages I give him and do some chores for them. He can have dinner with us here each evening, but he'll be out of here by no later than eight o'clock. He had better pull his weight, though, like any employee, or he'll be out on his ear, Imprint be damned."

"He'll work hard, I can assure you of that, and he'll do anything Gramps asks of him," I said in relief.

"You'd better tell him, then, hadn't you?" Dad grunted. "He can start tomorrow. Do you have a number for his father? I should speak to him, I suppose."

"Sure." Suppressing a grin with difficulty, I pulled out my phone to get the number. "Wolf's Dad does know about the Imprint," I added in case Dad was unsure whether or not to mention it.

I called Wolf while Dad spoke to his father and it was agreed that the boy would pack up some things and come over to Neah Bay that evening to ensure he was ready for an early start the next morning. Suddenly everything had happened in a rush and I set off back to La Push to collect him, leaving Edward with my family. Two hours later and we were back at my parents' house to discover that Claire and Chloe had now gone to bed. Wolf was very nervous about seeing Dad and had spent the entire journey from La Push fidgeting and picking at his nails.

"He won't bite, he'll just lay down a few rules," I said as I parked in front of the house.

"I know, but there's something I have to tell your parents," Wolf said. "They're putting their trust in me to work hard and act responsibly around your sisters, but they don't know what a screw-up I am. What if they find out later and send me away then? It'll just be worse than if it happens now."

"You don't have to tell them about that," I said at once.

"Yeah, I do."

I nodded, feeling a sudden surge of pride for Wolf. I just hoped Dad would be as supportive as I knew Mom would be. We left Wolf's bags in the car and went into the lounge. Edward was chatting to Dad about the latest news and Mom was reading. Dad got to his feet as we walked in and eyed Wolf with a frown.

"Mr Lester," Wolf said. "I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity of this apprenticeship." He stuck his hand out and after a brief pause, Dad shook it.

"You better sit down."

I went to Edward and Wolf took the free chair in the corner, licking his lips nervously and twisting his fingers around each other.

"I have a few things to say to you, if that's alright."

"Go on," Dad nodded.

"Well...um...I can promise I'll work hard. I'm good with my hands and this is something I really want to do. I'm grateful for the offer to stay with your father too; anything he wants me to do to help out, I'll do it."

"Good.

"There's...um...there's something I need to tell you and Ms Lester about me though. It's only fair that I be completely honest with you and if it changes your mind about the job and everything, I'll understand...if you want me to go back to La Push."

Dad's brows drew together and I heard the faintest whisper from Edward. "He's gonna tell your parents about his uncle?"

___"He felt it was the right thing to do, in case they were to find out later somehow,"_I thought.

"What is it?" Dad prompted.

"Um...I know you must think I'm no good after I dropped out of school and didn't graduate. There is a reason for it. It wasn't like I didn't want to work or anything like that." He glanced at me anxiously, chewing on his lower lip and I nodded encouragingly. "Have you seen in the press recently, a guy called Marvin Rivers being arrested? He did some stuff to a boy at my school."

"Yes, we heard about it," Mom said.

"Well..he's my uncle." Wolf clenched his hands together and shoved them between his knees, staring down at the carpet under his feet. "That stuff happened to me too. I didn't want anybody to find out, but Edward read my mind and told Jake and then Jake helped me by talking to my principal and my uncle. Then the other kid reported it so I didn't have to say anything to anybody else. My Dad wanted to kill his brother-in-law over it." He paused and took a deep breath.

"Anyway, I kept ditching school to avoid my uncle at first, before Jake and Edward knew, I mean, and then...I phased and...I had to keep away from him or I might've...I dunno, killed him myself, I guess. I'm...uh...I see a counseller that my Dad found for me...she's real nice..." He stopped and cleared his throat and I slid my hand across the sofa cushion to catch Edward's in mine, gripping it tightly. My heart went out to Wolf and when I glanced at Mom I could see tears in her eyes.

"So...uh...even if Chloe was like, my age...you wouldn't have to worry about me doing anything. I'm kind of fu...a mess about that kind of thing." Poor Wolf hung his head lower and scrubbed a hand across his eyes. "If you don't want me around your family now...I'll understand." He let out a strangled sob and mumbled an apology.

I looked at Mom, whose tears had spilled over and Dad, who looked both shocked and embarrassed. Then Mom left her chair and crossed to where Wolf sat, crouching down beside him and taking one of his hands in both of hers.

"It's alright, sweetheart, of course it doesn't make any difference. None of this was your fault." She glanced over her shoulder, quickly taking in the three of us and hissed, "Out," under her breath.

Dad, Edward and I rose as one and slipped quietly out of the room, Dad looking slightly relieved. We went into the kitchen and he leaned on the edge of the sink, looking out of the window. For a long moment there was silence and I almost held my breath as I waited for Dad to say something.

"Fucking sick bastard," he muttered eventually. My eyebrows shot up. "I saw that Rivers guy on the news. Makes me sick. How anybody could do that stuff to a child."

"Wolf will be ok," I said. "The counseller his Dad arranged is really good. He'll be able to move on and have a normal life..."

"Where's his mother in all this?" Dad asked.

"I'm not sure, he never talks about her. I don't know if she left when he was young or passed away. He never thinks about her when we're phased either and I don't think even Liam knows."

"Poor kid." Dad shook his head, still grimacing.

We stayed in the kitchen until Mom and Wolf walked in a few minutes later and it was Dad who was the first to speak.

"Look...Wolf...I appreciate it took a lot of guts to come and tell us those things. Of course it doesn't change things with us - you'll start work with me tomorrow at eight. I can't pretend I'm overjoyed about you Imprinting on Chloe, but there's not much I can do about that, I suppose. You work hard for me and for Jake's Gramps and we should get along well enough."

Wolf almost seemed to sag with relief. "Thank you so much, Mr Lester," he said. "I won't let you down, I promise."

"My name's Tom. Now, get out of here; my father and uncle will be wanting to get to bed. We'll see you in the morning; don't be late."

I drove Wolf over to Gramps and Uncle Dale's house and introduced them. The two old men didn't know anything about the Imprint, only that Wolf was one of my pack and that Dad had decided to give him a job. The tiny guest room was ready for him with a narrow bunk made up and a chest in the corner for his things. After a brief chat, Gramps said goodnight and went to bed while Uncle Dale hovered and chatted for a few minutes before I left to pick up Edward and go home.

"Well, that went better than I hoped," I said, stretching out in the passenger seat while Edward drove. I was exhausted and couldn't wait to get home to our bed.

"Poor Wolf; like your Dad said, he had some guts to tell them about that. At least your Dad seems more inclined to give him a chance now."

Dad had actually been more generous than I expected and the first week of the new arrangement went pretty well. I talked to at least one of my family each day and Wolf too. He was working hard and doing everything Dad told him during the day time. Then he would go home to Gramps and Uncle Dale's house, do some errands for them and take a shower, then go to my parents' house for dinner and spend an hour or two with my sisters. Claire was less happy about things than Dad was, but she grudgingly admitted that she still liked Wolf, it was just the situation that she didn't like. Everyone seemed to have settled into the new routine and it continued to go smoothly.

Fridays, Dad let Wolf finish work two hours early so that he could see his counseller, who was conveniently based in PA, so usually Edward took him to the appointments as he was often free by that time. Saturdays Dad stopped work at mid-day and in the afternoons Edward and I would do things with my sisters and Wolf. Sundays, Edward and I visited the Cullens, dropping Wolf in La Push to spend time with his father and Liam and Quil. He seemed much happier and not only because he was able to see Chloe six days a week. He enjoyed his work and was earning his own money; his Dad had accepted that he wasn't going to retake his final year of school and then go to college and his therapy sessions were beginning to help him move on from what had happened to him. His temper had lessened considerably and no one worried that he might phase without warning.

Mom spoke to me after about a month, telling me that Dad had come to like his young employee and was impressed by his determination to do well, not that Dad would admit it himself for some time. It took Claire rather longer to come around, only because she felt resentful that Chloe, having accepted Wolf, would never get the chance to be with anyone else in the future, but she did eventually accept that it was what her sister wanted, while she was free to make her own choices when it came to it.

The twins were back at school again now and Edward's schedule had changed, his summer students having caught up and stopped attending, being replaced by several new ones with different problems - a blind boy who needed to have his mother with him to write things down for him and two kids who had been expelled. Edward spent more time with these two than any of the others, beginning to teach them English, math and geography as well as history. Although the subjects weren't his specialities, he was still advanced enough in them to help the students graduate. Their parents had paid for a whole semester in advance and planned to continue throughout the year.

I looked at him now as he sat by the window in the Cullens' main lounge, marking some essays while I chatted to Jasper. His glasses were perched on his nose, brows drawn together in concentration, his chaotic hair a tangle from running his fingers through it. He looked adorable like that and I grinned foolishly as I watched him, earning taunting and vomiting sounds from Jasper.

Tanya was there too, listening to music through headphones, tapping her fingers and one foot and the other vampires were out hunting. The phone rang and Jasper glanced at it, then at Tanya. He picked up a pen and tossed it at her. Her fingers stopped tapping and she instinctively caught it in mid-air without raising her eyes.

"What the hell did you do that for? Jerk!"

"Phone!" Jasper pointed at it and imitated holding a phone to his ear.

"You're so damned lazy!" she snapped. "Get it yourself!"

Jasper grinned and slouched back in his seat.

"I'll get it." I hauled myself up and snatched up the phone, punching the 'answer' button. "Yes? Cullen residence?"

"To whom am I speaking?" a vaguely familiar and slightly accented voice asked.

"Jacob Black. Who is this?"

Edward and Jasper looked at me as I waited for an answer.

"This is Aro. You may remember me."


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I heard Edward's sharp intake of breath and then in a blur of movement he was beside me. Jasper and Tanya both looked at us curiously.

"Why are you calling?" I asked, my heart beginning to slam against my ribs. What the fuck did Aro want? I knew the Volturi were still around - it was unlikely they would ever disappear - but in almost a hundred years they hadn't made their presence felt and I wondered if it was anything to do with either the reincarnation of Edward and me, or the rather conspicuous group of rogue vampires we had killed; perhaps even the fact that there was a new pack in La Push. Who knew?

"I wish to speak to Carlisle, if I may," Aro said smoothly.

"He's not here. You can speak to Edward."

"Ah, Edward...yes, the prodigal son, as it were. Very well."

I handed the phone to Edward numbly and stayed where I was. It was difficult to gauge much from Edward's side of the conversation; his responses were short and curt and didn't really give away much, although he hung up a moment later.

"The Volturi are coming here," he said.

"Fuck," muttered Jasper.

"What the hell do they want?" Tanya demanded. "Is Irina behind this? That bitch; I wouldn't put anything past her. How she could join them..."

"It's nothing to do with Irina," Edward said. "Aro told me they have a whole new guard. He, Marcus and Caius are still running the show and probably always will be. They were the first rats to leave the sinking ship in Volterra, closely followed by Jane."

"Damn, I was hoping we'd got her," Jasper scowled.

"No. The majority of the rest of them are new though. We already knew they'd been travelling the world rebuilding the guard, finding other powerful vampires..."

"So now they want revenge?" I interrupted.

"I didn't get that impression from Aro," Edward said, shaking his head. "He's curious more than anything."

"Who's curious?" Zara appeared in the doorway, closely followed by Carlisle, Esme and Charlotte.

"I just talked to Aro."

_"Aro? _What does he want after all this time?" Carlisle asked worriedly. "Obviously they will have been keeping an eye on things, but...is it about you two?" he aimed at Edward.

"Mostly," Edward nodded. "I was just saying that the Volturi had been gathering other powerful vampires to join them, which we knew. One of them, Constance, has an ability pretty similar to what Alice had, only it's more refined. She can see both the future and the past and in a lot of detail. It was the rogue vampires that initially drew Aro's attention, because they were making a mess in Canada and getting themselves in the news. Constance 'tuned in' and learned that they were going to be killed in a few more days by us, so Aro didn't think it necessary to send some of the guard over here to deal with it.

"Constance described our coven to Aro; of course he already knew of Charlotte, but Zara concerned him, until Constance told him that it wasn't any of us that changed her. Then she described me and he was pretty surprised. He made her look backwards to when I was changed again to see how it happened and then apparently further still into my past to find out where I came from.

"Constance can only see the past and future of vampires, so she didn't see Jacob at all, even though he's with me. When he answered the phone it gave Aro a bit of a shock. He and some of the others are planning on coming over here to see for themselves."

"Did you feel any sense of a threat?" Carlisle asked.

"No, none." Edward shook his head. "He actually said that he doesn't want a fight; they've never heard of anything like this happening before. Of course they know about reincarnation, but with a vampire...it's unheard of, we know that. He referred to me as a phoenix."

"Rising from the ashes," Charlotte murmured.

"Yes."

"When are they coming?" asked Esme.

"He said they plan to leave today, but I don't know, I got the feeling he wasn't being honest about that. I wouldn't be surprised if they're already in the States."

"If he's lying about that, how can you be sure he's not lying about the rest?" I frowned. "They might be coming here to try to kill us, like last time. What was it he called us before? An abomination?"

"That was a century ago, Jacob," Edward reminded me.

"Do you think that even after a century I'll ever be able to forget seeing you burn?" I grimaced, squeezing my eyes shut for a second.

"Hey..." Edward's hand slid into mine and I gripped it firmly.

"A century to Aro must be like a year to us," I added. "He's thousands of years old, isn't he? If he thought we were an abomination before, he probably still does now."

"All we can do is be ready," Carlisle said. "This Constance will obviously be able to see what we're doing, so I don't want it to look as if we're preparing for battle. They'll see it as a threat and come in all guns blazing whether they intended to or not. Jacob, put your pack on alert, but I don't want them here when Aro arrives. Just have them ready in case you need to call them."

I nodded and picked up the phone to call Liam. I couldn't really believe that Aro didn't intend to do anything. All I'd ever seen of the Volturi showed them as spiteful and cruel creatures that loved to torture their victims; who cared about no one, not even Carlisle who had spent decades with them long before Edward and I were born first time around. I could remember the amusement on their faces when Edward's thirst became desperate in the cell we had been locked in; how I had begged for food like a starving puppy and how Edward had eventually been forced to feed from me, almost killing himself in the process. How they had then come to the home we shared with the intention of destroying us, just because we were two opposing species who had fallen in love; tearing Edward apart and burning him in front of my eyes.

I dropped the phone and ran out of the door, heat filling me as my anger rose. My legs were shaking and I barely made it off the porch before I phased, fragments of clothing scattering in all directions. I found myself snarling at nothing and I bounded into the trees, furious over what we may face and embarrassed by my lack of control. I ran for perhaps a minute before I glimpsed the blur of Edward some yards to my left and I slowed down quickly.

_"I'm sorry,"_ I thought. _"I couldn't help it. How do we know it's just curiosity?"_

"We don't." Edward appeared at my side as I halted, panting, and lifted a hand to stroke my head, caressing my ears the way I had always liked. "All we can do is be as ready as we can be for anything, without making it obvious enough to piss them off. It is possible they really just want to see us for themselves. A good number of the original guard are gone now, remember?"

_"Jane's still there,"_ I remembered. _"We killed her brother, didn't we?"_

"Yes, but she can't do anything without Aro's say so. Jacob, I really don't think anything will happen this time. He sounded...I don't know, different."

_"He sounded the same to me!"_ I thought fiercely. _"Evil fucking leech!"_

"If they come here and start a fight, they're going to draw a lot of attention; it'll be the last thing Aro wants."

_"It seemed to be exactly what he wanted when he destroyed us before,"_ I reminded him.

"Aro wasn't even here then; he sent his minions to do his dirty work. Besides, things are different this time. We were married before either of us changed and we haven't done anything to upset them. In fact we saved them a job by destroying the rogues."

_"I can't believe you're defending him!"_ I snapped. _"Have you forgotten what he did to us?"_

"I'll never forget, but we're going to have to take this as it comes. I'm just saying I don't think he wants a war this time and we'll have to hope that's the case."

_"I guess," _I sighed. _"We better get back."_

"I'll hunt while we're out here," Edward said. "I'm not really that thirsty, but if they show up later or tomorrow, I may not get the chance for a while."

_"I'll go with you."_

We hunted together as we had on many occasions before, Edward taking a mountain lion and me, a deer. I found myself in a much better mood afterwards, marvelling once again at the grace and speed with which Edward took down the cat in mid-spring. He laughed now and gave my shoulder a none too gentle punch.

"A wolf admiring a vampire's killing abilities?" he grinned.

_"I always did, you know that. Everything you did, you did perfectly."_

"Flattery will get you everywhere," he teased.

_"That's what I was hoping." _I brought to mind an image of us in bed together, naked, kissing, his legs wrapped around me and he cursed loudly.

"Damnit, Jacob, I don't want to walk back in the house with a hard-on!"

_"Just trying to lighten the mood since I made such a good job of spoiling it."_

"You didn't spoil anything. I understand how you feel, but we have to hope for the best and that Aro is genuine."

We began to make our way back to the house, travelling more slowly now until we reached the treeline. Then Edward disappeared indoors to find something for me to wear while I phased back. He returned to me a moment later with a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"Are they pissed at me?" I asked as I dressed.

"No, but Carlisle's a bit concerned that you might not be able to control yourself when they arrive. He asked Jasper to try to keep you calm."

"Fuck," I muttered. "I won't need that, I'll be ok."

"Jacob, if all they're coming for is to see us and satisfy their curiosity, but you lose it and phase, things will change pretty fast from a visit into a battle," Edward said.

"Alright." I knew he was right, but it didn't make things any easier. I couldn't shake off the feeling that Aro wanted more than just to get a look at the anomaly that we were and was planning on destroying us for a second time.

We didn't have to wait very long to find out. I spoke to Dad to tell him Wolf wouldn't be returning to Neah Bay that evening and to let Gramps and Uncle Dale know. I made the excuse that his father needed him for something important and hoped I wouldn't be questioned too much, prompting me to lie even more, but Dad accepted it and said there would be no problem as they had just finished a job and would be waiting for a delivery of supplies the next day before they could start the next. Liam had already talked to both Wolf and Quil and reported back that they would be ready, should they be needed.

Edward and I stayed with the Cullens, me catching some sleep on the couch in our old room while Edward remained downstairs talking to the others. I slept fitfully, expecting to be woken at any moment by the arrival of Aro and the others, but the night passed calmly and Edward brought me breakfast. I joined the others in the lounge afterwards and it was noon by the time the visitors made an appearance, arriving in civilised fashion in a fleet of three Limos with darkened windows. Esme watched from the window as they pulled up in front of the house and stepped out of the cars.

"I see Aro, Marcus and Caius," she reported. "A lot of others I don't recognise. There's a blonde woman in the same robes as the three; she could be someone important, maybe the one named Constance. Jane is here..."

"How many altogether?" Jasper asked.

"Eighteen."

"Jesus," I muttered.

"I don't feel any animosity," said Jasper. "Only interest and curiosity. Jane is angry, but it's restrained as if she's under orders."

"Are you going to restrain me?" I glanced at him, knowing that was the plan.

"I have to, Jacob; just in case."

"Yeah, I know. Just do it." I sat back on the sofa, quickly feeling the tension and aggression within me lessening.

Carlisle left the room to welcome the visitors and I heard their voices in the hallway, immediately recognising Aro's although none of the others sounded familiar. Jasper and Edward stood up as Carlisle led Aro into the room, followed by Marcus, Caius, Jane and the woman Esme described and I got to my feet slowly too, thinking I should at least look like I was making an attempt to be polite.

Aro looked at each of us in turn, nodding slightly, a somewhat serene smile on his face. He greeted Esme verbally and then his eyes landed on Tanya.

"Ah, Ms Denali. Your sister sends her greetings."

"I'm sure," Tanya muttered.

Aro's smile only widened before he looked at Edward and me. "Well, well...the prodigal pair."

"Aro." Edward nodded politely and I bristled, wondering how he could remain so calm after everything we'd been through at the hands of the creatures in front of us. I sat down again slowly with a sigh and relaxed, casting an annoyed glance at Jasper as I felt my racing pulse slow again and my sudden flare of anger dissipate to a bearable level.

"Please...won't you sit down?" Esme said then.

Aro, Marcus and the woman introduced as Constance sat - Caius stood beside Aro's chair and Jane hovered near the door, her face a mask of fury and eyes blazing red. Glancing from one to another, it seemed to me that she would be the one to cause trouble if any of them did. Aro's eyes landed on me suddenly and his brow wrinkled.

"The wolf seems somewhat agitated."

"It's not long since Jacob phased; he still gets tense around us when we're all together," Jasper said with a smile.

"And yet he's here now, with all of you."

"Well, he Imprinted on me again, you see, so we're not often apart," Edward explained.

Aro nodded. "I explained briefly why we came, but let me make it clear, Carlisle - we haven't come to fight..."

A slight hiss came from the door and his eyes shot to Jane. He frowned slightly and turned back to us. "As we must excuse Jacob's...infancy...you must excuse Jane; she hasn't yet recovered from the loss of her brother.

"As I was saying...our differences are long in the past and I would hope you see things the same way. Our visit is merely to satisfy our curiosity. You have been living quietly since we saw you last and there's no reason to think that will change. I wish to learn of how Edward and Jacob have managed to return. The wolf, perhaps isn't too unusual; reincarnation isn't uncommon, but Edward...this is unheard of."

"We believe it's connected to Jacob's Imprint," Edward said. "The bond between us was so strong that even after I was dust, there was still some essence of me left somewhere. I'm a descendant of the original Edward's uncle. When I first met Jacob in college when we were eighteen, he recognised me and we both began to remember things from our past as time went on."

"Constance was able to look back into your past to witness your rebirth, both human and vampire," Aro said. "But she's unable to see the paths of anyone not like ourselves. All she was able to tell me about was your progress through life and what brought Carlisle to change you again. She saw nothing of your reconnection with Jacob. May I see?"

"Of course." Edward got to his feet and I looked up at him anxiously.

"Ed...!"

He shook his head slightly and I felt Jasper soothing me again. When I turned to look at him, his eyes were fixed firmly on my face and he was concentrating hard. I looked away and watched as Edward lowered himself onto one knee in front of Aro's chair and offered his hand. Aro took it in both of his and his face showed various emotions - surprise, curiosity, amusement - as he delved into Edward's memories and gathered whatever he wanted. I was furious and impotent, knowing full well I would have phased if it hadn't been for Jasper. At last Aro released Edward's hand and my vampire returned to my side and sat down, slipping his hand into mine. I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Such powerful emotion between you two," Aro said. "I very much regret having been instrumental in destroying something so precious."

"You said before that we were an abomination!" I blurted.

"I did. Vampires are not intended to find mates outside our own world and certainly not with one such as yourself; our mortal enemy. However, I must admit to finding this Imprint situation absolutely fascinating. How a creature with no soul can be recreated through the power of this connection..."

"If you were so fascinated by us, why'd you have us killed the first time?" I glanced at Jasper, noticing he was still staring at me fiercely, but his hands were shaking as if the effort was tiring him out.

"Jacob..." Edward said warningly, squeezing my hand painfully.

"It's fine, Edward; let the wolf say his piece," Aro said.

"I want to know why you had us tortured like that, in Volterra. What did we ever do to you, before that? Nothing!" I exclaimed. "Edward came to you to die after a human girl he cared for was killed. I had already Imprinted on him before that and I came to help him. We would have just left, but you locked us up for your own amusement..."

"Sshhh..." Edward whispered, his cold hand releasing mine and touching the back of my neck instead.

"As I said, I very much regret what happened previously. Marcus and I were terribly bored and I guess...in a playful mood..."

_"Playful!"_ I spat, jumping to my feet.

"Woah!" Edward rose quickly. "Come on, Jacob, don't do this."

Jasper got to his feet and took a deep breath, glaring at me again and I felt my anger reduce by a small amount. I closed my eyes briefly and struggled to control myself, telling myself that the vampires in front of us hadn't come to hurt us. What had happened a hundred years ago was well and truly in the past and me continuing to act in the way that I was, would potentially cause a fight that no one wanted. I sat down heavily.

"I'm sorry," I sighed. "It's difficult to forget some of the things that happened to us."

"I understand," Aro said.

Jane scowled and fidgeted by the door.

"I don't understand and I haven't forgotten," she hissed under her breath and Marcus and Caius both turned to look at her.

"Please step outside, Jane," Aro said calmly, without taking his eyes off me.

"Aro..."

_"Now!"_

The girl withdrew immediately and the front door of the house shook in its frame as she slammed it closed behind her.

"I'm so sorry," Aro said to Carlisle. "Jacob, I know you and Edward found our amusement in your suffering very cruel. What can I say? We are, after all, monsters. I don't expect you to forgive us as we find it very difficult to overlook the fact that you two and your families destroyed not only our headquarters and many of the guard in Volterra, but also killed more of us at your home."

"We were defending ourselves," I said.

"Of course you were. But I think that we have both lost too many already to let past mistakes haunt us in the present. We haven't come here in anger, only to learn about how one of our own has returned, like the phoenix as I said before."

"There will be no trouble here today," Carlisle put in. "I'm happy to welcome you into my home when I know there's no further threat to my family, of which Jacob is a part."

Aro nodded and I realised my conversation with him was over. I glanced at Jasper, trembling in his seat, eyes black now from the effort of trying to restrain me. I took Edward's hand again and laced our fingers together.

_"I'm ok, I promise,"_ I thought. I wasn't - far from it - but as much as I might want to avenge our own deaths, I knew I couldn't do it. All I would achieve would be to potentially end the lives of some of my family. With the pack, our numbers would be a reasonable match, but there would certainly be losses on both sides; perhaps even the loss of Edward for a second time.

Aro and Marcus began talking to Carlisle, telling him about their new headquarters in France and of their worldwide search for new members of the guard; of Constance's history. I tuned them out and concentrated only on Edward, vaguely aware of Charlotte helping Jasper up and leading him out of the room, presumably to feed.

It was probably two or three hours before the visit was over. As time went on it became more evident that Aro spoke the truth when he said he had no intention of resurrecting the animosity between us and them and was only curious. He spoke to Carlisle at length about changing Edward for the second time and his rapid progress as a newborn, helped by his determination to continue our marriage in the best way we could until I phased and became stronger.

The subject of my Imprint came up again and I was drawn back into the conversation to explain how it occurred, what it meant, how both Imprinter and Imprintee began to feel and how strong the connection was. All of the Volturi vampires present seemed fascinated and I had at last stopped feeling like I wanted to attack them, thinking only of how happy Edward made me. I didn't want a battle any more than they did, only to risk losing what we had all over again and I found myself responding more pleasantly as time went on.

Aro spoke of the band of rogues we had despatched and expressed his sorrow for our loss of Emmett and Carlisle explained that we probably had only another three or four years at the most before we would have to move on to a new area. Aro concluded that with the help of Constance, we would always be watched, but that he knew Carlisle would continue peacefully the way he had since he left Italy so many years before.

Suddenly it was all over. They were on their feet ready to leave and all of us followed them to the door, watching from the porch as the members of the guard waiting by the cars climbed back into the vehicles, followed by Constance and the three leaders. Jane continued to stare furiously at us from red eyes, but she did nothing about it and I imagined she was being restrained the same way I had been by Jasper, on at least by order, for which I was thankful. If she'd exerted her power over Edward the same way she had in the cell, causing him such pain, I wouldn't have hesitated to phase and launch myself at her, or whoever was nearest.

We all watched as the three cars made their way slowly off down the drive, disappearing into the trees as they turned a bend and then everyone headed back indoors, leaving Edward and me on the porch. I moved closer behind him and slid my arms around him, nuzzling the back of his neck.

"Do you think we've seen the last of them?"

"They all seemed genuine," he said. "Their thoughts matched what came out of their mouths. Jane wanted to kill every one of us, especially you and me, but she's too tightly bound. Aro would have her destroyed if she started another fight without provocation. I don't know if we'll ever see them again, but they won't be coming after us to cause trouble."

"I guess that's a relief," I said. "As much as I wanted to rip that smug leech's head off of his shoulders, I started thinking that it could ruin everything for us again. If I lost you again, we'd be back to where we were a hundred years ago; me finishing myself off and wondering if we'd turn up again in another hundred years somehow."

Edward turned towards me and brushed his lips over mine. "Well, it's over now. I want to go home. I've got that image stuck in my head that you sent me when we were hunting."

I grinned at him. "I think I should make you wait. You can just think about it for a while." I visualised myself on hands and knees, Edward behind me, his fingers digging into my hips as he pounded himself into me.

"Fuck!" he hissed. "Will you stop that?"

"Hmm, maybe I'm ready to go home after all," I said as my blood began to head for my groin.

We went indoors to say a quick goodbye to the others and then Edward drove us back to PA. I called Liam on the journey to let him know that there would be no need for the pack and then spoke to Wolf too. He intended to ask his Dad to drive him back to Gramps' house that evening and just like his predecessor, Paul, he was a little disappointed not to get the chance to kill a few vampires, but at the same time he was glad it was over so that he could return to Neah Bay to catch up with Chloe.

At last we parked up in front of our house and hurried inside, anxious to do a little catching up of our own. Edward grabbed me the minute the door was closed and I found myself being borne upstairs and tossed onto the bed before I could even blink.

"You are in hurry," I teased breathlessly as he began undressing at the speed of sound, items of clothing flying all over the room.

"That's your fault," he grinned, pouncing onto the bed and tearing my shirt open, several of the buttons bursting from the fabric. "Now you're going to get what you deserve."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N If you read my recently completed story "The Chains That Bind Us" and enjoyed it, please spare a minute to vote for me! The story has been nominated for the 'Top Ten Fics Completed in July' at www twifanfictionrecs com. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :o)**

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Within seconds I found myself lying naked on the bed and Edward was on the other side of the room. I knew exactly what he was planning as if I could read minds as well and I groaned aloud as my already half-hard cock stiffened fully and twitched against my belly.

"No touching," Edward said needlessly.

"I know; damn you."

"You love it when I do this."

"Yeah...I do," I admitted with a sigh. "But it fucking kills me."

Edward gave me a crooked smirk and opened the top two buttons of his shirt, giving me a glimpse of chest hair. I let my eyes drift down and noticed that he was as hard as I was, his erection pushing against his zipper. I wished he would take his clothes off as fast as he'd removed mine, but I doubted that would happen.

"You know me too well," he grinned.

"Two can play at that game," I reminded him, calling to mind another image of us in my head. I thought of him naked, his cock in his hand, the tip leaking as he guided it into me. I visualised his cold white shaft disappearing slowly inside me and imagined how it would feel for him, intense heat surrounding him, squeezing him, making him rush towards losing control.

"It's not going to work," Edward grimaced. "I'll just stay over here and describe to you what's happening to me right now; how my shorts are getting damp from my cock leaking; you don't want me to waste it all and come in my pants, do you?"

"Damn you!" I cursed again.

"You love me. Watch." He slipped another two buttons undone and palmed himself for a moment with the other hand. My hand drifted helplessly towards my cock until Edward cleared his throat and I snatched it back and clenched it into a fist. He was still stroking himself firmly through his clothes and he moaned softly, bucking against his hand.

"Fuck, Edward, you're so hot and sexy when you do that," I muttered.

"Remember the first time I did something like this? My face was on fire," he grinned. "I knew you liked it, but I was so embarrassed I wanted to run and hide in the bathroom."

"You were cute. I loved how you used to blush."

"Cute!" Edward scoffed.

"Mmm." I shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the head of my cock from which a thin thread of pre-cum was trailing to my belly. "God, I'm aching."

In another second, Edward's shirt was off and in the corner of the room and he was removing his belt. He breathed hard for effect and my eyes flicked between the rapid movement of his chest and his hands as he excruciatingly slowly lowered his zipper. His pants opened to reveal the obscene bulge in his grey shorts, the head of his cock clearly outlined as the wet fabric clung to it. He dropped the pants and stooped briefly to remove shoes and socks, then kicked all of the garments aside, straightening up again in only his underwear. I moaned again as his cock throbbed behind the last layer of restraining fabric, making the wet patch spread a little more and then his hand covered it and stroked idly up and down.

"Christ, Edward, let me see you," I moaned.

"All in good time. It feels good like this." He continued to stroke himself, humming and groaning every so often while I squirmed and shuddered, grinding my teeth and clenching my fists. My cock was painfully hard, my balls full and tight against my body.

"It'll feel better covered in lube in your hand," I said. "Or better yet, in me."

"You want me to fuck you, Jacob?" Edward teased.

"What do you think?"

He grinned and took his hand off himself, then lowered his shorts enough for me to see his pale pink tip.

"Oh, God, take them off," I groaned.

He stroked his thumb lightly over his head, smearing pre-cum around and then raised his hand and licked the digit.

"Fucking Christ!" I stretched my arms above me and gripped the head of the bed, my muscles popping. "Please, Edward, you're killing me!"

"I haven't even started yet." He pushed the shorts down all the way and kicked them off. "Spread your legs."

I did so without hesitation and he climbed onto the bed, kneeling between my knees and then leaning over me to grab the lube from the bed table. He lowered himself briefly and let his erection slide against mine, rolling his hips slightly and rubbing against me. I pushed up against him immediately, sighing with relief at the contact, but in another second he was sitting back on his heels and I let out a groan of disappointment. I watched as he squeezed lube out onto his fingers and hoped that he was going to start preparing me, but the teasing grin on his face indicated it wasn't going to be that easy. He coated his other hand too and then reached beneath himself, pushing one finger in firmly and quickly adding a second. He wrapped his other hand around his erection and began to pump it slowly.

"Mmm," he moaned, tipping his head back and closing his eyes.

"Please, baby," I begged again, squirming uncomfortably. "I feel like I'm gonna explode."

"Me too. I need to come." Edward's hand moved a little faster, making a slick, wet sound as it slid up and down his shaft, his thumb rubbing over the head and the fingers of his other hand thrusting firmly into his body. "God, I can imagine this is your cock in me."

"For fuck's sake; come sit on it, then!" I blurted.

"And spoil all this fun?" His black eyes opened and met mine. "You love watching me."

"Yeah, I do, but I need to touch myself."

"Keep your hands where they are. No one's touching you but me unless I say." His hand sped up a little more and he began to pant. "I'm getting close; think I better stop." He slowed again.

"Edward..." I writhed helplessly, glancing again at my cock which was purple and painfully swollen.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want. I want you to put that in me and let us both come, but you're not going to, are you?"

"Not yet."

"Then let me see you come," I panted. "Just do it right there so I can watch." I knew it wouldn't really be a waste; he would be ready again almost immediately and would last a lot longer when he finally impaled me.

He withdrew his fingers from himself and picked up the lube again. "Give me your hand."

I unclenched my right fist from the iron railing above my head and held it out to him, wondering what he had in mind. He squeezed lube onto my fingers and edged forwards a little, kneeling up over me and guiding my hand down between his legs. I sighed in appreciation as I pushed two fingers into his tight, cold tunnel and shifted my body slightly, trying to rub my cock against my arm as it lay alongside it. I curled my fingers upwards, searching for his prostate and quickly finding it, then repeatedly brushed and nudged it as he resumed jerking himself off, faster now, his teeth sinking into his lower lip and his eyes half-closed. His hips rocked back and forth, his ass clenching around my fingers, hand flying over his length as his orgasm drew closer. His hand and his cock were a blur and I silently asked him to slow down so I could see.

"Almost there," he panted, slowing his movements to a more human speed so I could see his swollen pink tip emerging from his fist with each pump. Then after a couple more strokes he was coming, jets of thick white fluid spurting from him and landing on my arm, my cock and my belly. The chill of it made me shudder and I watched as he continued to stroke himself more slowly, squeezing the last few drops from himself onto my balls.

"Fucking hell!" I cursed, withdrawing my fingers. "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen."

Edward smirked and chuckled. "You're easily pleased."

"Yeah, but I'm still desperate. Are you gonna let me come now?"

"In a minute, when I've cleaned us up." He flew off the bed and into the bathroom, but before I even had chance to wrap my hand around myself, he was back with a damp cloth, telling me to leave myself alone. He began wiping his fluid off of me, rubbing the soft cloth tormentingly over my painful erection while I trembled and groaned, wishing I could just let go and come, but I needed more friction.

"Please, Edward," I moaned.

"Please what?"

"Touch me...suck me...anything, please just let me come!"

He laughed again and tossed the cloth aside, kneeling between my legs and bending towards my cock. I watched as his tongue extended slowly towards my tip and flicked against the head.

"Please...more..."

His tongue circled the head, capturing the oozing pre-cum and then to my utter relief, his lips closed around me and sucked gently.

"Oh, God...yes..."

He lowered his head slowly, taking more of my length into the icy cavern of his mouth and I thrust my hips up, unable to keep still. His hands immediately gripped me and pressed me down against the mattress and I moaned with both pleasure and disappointment as his mouth slid slowly up and down, gripping me frustratingly loosely, his tongue stroking along my shaft. I grunted and gasped, struggling against his restraining hands until he sat up suddenly and released me.

"No...Edward, _please!"_ I groaned. "I can't take any more."

He cupped my balls in one hand, rolling them around between his fingers. "So full..." he murmured.

"Jesus." I looked down at my body, shivering with need, Edward's cold white hand cupping me and his cock jutting out in front of him, rising from half mast to fully erect again. "I need you in me, please," I begged helplessly.

"Sure you don't want me to keep on teasing you?" He released my balls and stroked one finger lightly up and down my length.

"Just make me come," I sighed. "I'm so close."

"But you can't finish without a bit more friction, can you?" He backed away from me suddenly. "Turn over; get on your hands and knees."

I flipped over immediately and positioned myself with my knees wide apart, my upper body angled downwards with my head pressing against the pillow and hands gripping the end of the bed. Chilly hands came to rest on my buttocks, spreading them further, the tip of a finger brushing over my hole. My cock twitched in front of me, hanging heavy beneath my belly and I looked back, watching a bead of pre-cum ooze from the tip and drip onto the bed. I felt the lightest brush of hair against my butt and then a second later, the cold moist tip of Edward's tongue teasing me, starting from behind my balls and running upwards to my hole, then down again.

"Oh, God," I moaned. An icy breath fanned me and then his tongue was pushing at me, seeking entrance. I relaxed as much as I could in my agonised state and felt wet coldness penetrate a little way. Then to my utter relief a hand reached around me and encircled my cock. I let out a deep groan as he began stroking me slowly while his tongue alternately poked into me and lapped at me, making me twitch and clench.

"Fuck, I'm so close," I panted.

"Want me to fuck you?" Edward murmured.

"Yes!"

He released my cock and drew away from me and I moaned in frustration until I heard more lube being squeezed out and then he was touching me again, one slick finger pushing into me. The icy digit slid deep, as far as it could reach and then began to pump slowly in and out while he resumed stroking my cock with the other hand. Heat coiled in my belly and my balls tightened further. I could feel sweat breaking out of my pores, my spine tingling with the feel of his coldness in me and I moaned loudly.

"I'm not gonna last," I uttered and then cursed myself as his hand immediately left my cock and captured my balls instead, tugging on them firmly and chasing my orgasm a little further away. "Please, Edward, fuck me," I begged.

"Just another minute." He pushed a second finger into me and began stretching me, scissoring his fingers, the coldness soothing the slight burn I felt as he worked quickly. I balled my fists and ground my teeth, trying to breathe slowly and deeply as his preparation only tormented me further, but then at last he was withdrawing his fingers and grabbing for the lube again. I opened my eyes and looked back between my legs as he coated himself and then to my utter relief he was guiding his tip into me, pushing in slowly and smoothly, his thick icy shaft stretching me more, filling me.

"Mmm...yes..." I sighed. His hips were flush with mine, his cock as deep within me as it would go and then he reached around me and grasped me again, starting to jerk me off in time to his slow thrusts. I grunted and groaned, trying to thrust into his fist and impale myself on him at the same time.

"Harder...fuck me, Edward..." I gasped. "I need to come so bad."

"Touch yourself." He released me suddenly and gripped my hips with both hands. I shifted my position slightly, supporting myself with one forearm angled on the bed under me and grasped my cock in the other hand, pumping it urgently as he began to move, withdrawing almost all the way before driving himself back in, his balls bumping mine and his shaft dragging over my prostate. Shivers wracked my body from the intensity of it all, coupled with his coldness filling me.

"Holy shit!" I yelped.

"Want me to go faster?"

"Yes!" I gripped the end of the bed firmly to prevent myself being driven into the wall and massaged my cock with the other hand as he picked up speed, his hips snapping forward rapidly and ramming his shaft faster and harder into my ass.

"Oh, God...Edward...so close..." I panted.

"Come for me," he urged. "Let me feel it."

It took only a few more seconds of him pistoning into me and I was unloading onto the mattress and my hand, the force of my orgasm almost shooting my cum into my face. Edward's movements slowed as I clenched around him and he continued fucking me more slowly as I took my hand off of myself and let my upper body collapse further, gasping for breath as he finished for a second time with a deep groan. When he withdrew I rolled onto my side, chest heaving, sucking air into my lungs in huge gulps and Edward lay down behind me, nestling against my back and encircling me with his chilly arms.

"Christ...so good...love you, baby..." I breathed.

"I love you too, so much."

We lay there together for a while and then Edward drew away and grabbed the wash cloth to clean us up again. He made a big show of wiping my cock and between my legs, continuing much longer than necessary until I began to harden again. Then I propped myself up against the pillow and pulled him into my lap, my arms encircling him as we made love more slowly, his cold tunnel sliding up and down on my heat, his hand between us, stroking himself until we came together, me filling him and him spurting chilly droplets onto my chest.

We were so good together, I thought, as we relaxed afterwards, the room gradually darkening as dusk fell. He was my soul mate right from the beginning and even though we had been apart for decades in between, nothing had managed to keep us apart.

"You are such a sap sometimes," Edward whispered, his cool breath fanning my cheek.

"Don't tell me you don't think the same thing."

He chuckled softly. "Maybe occasionally. Are you hungry? You didn't get any dinner."

"I'd forgotten about food," I grinned. "But yeah, I'm starving."

He was off the bed in a second, grabbing a clean pair of shorts from a drawer and vanishing downstairs to make me something to eat. I stayed where I was, continuing to languish in the aftermath of yet another amazing love-making session with my beautiful husband.

We slipped easily back into our usual routine after the visit of the Volturi. Zara had revealed she also read their minds and agreed with Edward that they posed no threat. Only Jane still wanted revenge for the loss of her brother Alec, but she knew that Aro would have her destroyed if she did anything about it. I had to wonder why they had even brought her with them, but perhaps just in case we had been the ones to start trouble. They were never going to be forgotten, but at least it didn't seem likely that we would have to worry about them any time soon and they knew that we intended to go on living peacefully unless we were threatened by more rogues,

There was no real need for the pack any more, at least for the time being. Liam and Quil stopped phasing, although both Wolf and I continued regularly to halt our aging. He would have to remain at sixteen for another two years to allow Chloe to catch up and I intended never to get past twenty-three.

Dad mentioned to me on one occasion that he was impressed with Wolf's determination to better himself and we were surprised when the following year, he came to see Edward. He had his own transport now, his Dad having bought him a used truck for his seventeenth birthday, and he drove over to our house one Saturday afternoon, bringing Chloe and Claire with him, much to my surprise.

"Dad said it's ok as long as we're both together," Claire told me as we hung out in the kitchen, eating some of Mom's muffins which they had brought with them for me. Edward and Wolf were talking in the lounge.

"He likes Wolf now," Chloe added, beaming. "He says he's proved himself, more so with what he's doing now."

"What is he doing?" I asked curiously.

"He's going to pay Edward for classes so he can pass the exams he missed last year and then do evening classes at the highschool in PA so he can graduate. He wants to start early because he says he missed a lot and he's going to have to catch up, plus he'll have to do evening classes for almost three years to cover the two years' worth of work he'd do full time in school. We're gonna go to college together!"

Claire rolled her eyes. "Dad will love that - not!"

"It won't matter when I'm eighteen, will it? Anyway, Dad will be fine."

"I hope so," Wolf said, walking in looking slightly sheepish.

"What will you study at college?" I asked him.

"I'm not sure yet, but there are some practical courses for the more technical aspects of building and also design and business - I'll probably do something like that. I want to come back and work for your Dad after so there's no point me doing something irrelevant."

"We'll pick a college that has suitable majors for us both," Chloe said.

"I don't know how you can even think about college yet," grumbled Claire. "It's well over three years away."

"Better to be prepared. I know what I want to do already, so there's no harm in planning. I want to be a teacher like Edward, hopefully in an elementary school."

"That's awesome, Chloe," I said. "Wolf, I'm proud of you. I know my Dad will be too when you tell him about college, although he'll probably grunt and bluster..."

"...and tell you to keep out of our dorm," put in Claire with a smirk.

"Thanks, Jacob," Wolf said. "And you too, Edward, I really appreciate it."

"No problem. I'll talk to you again next week to figure out a schedule."

The three of them didn't stay much longer and then headed back to Neah Bay.

"You're not charging him, are you?" I grinned at Edward. I knew his tutoring fees would have pretty much wiped out what Wolf was earning.

"Twenty-five percent. I told him I wouldn't hear of him paying, but he insisted, says he's not spending his wages on anything else and he wants to put it to good use. He would have preferred for me to teach him up to graduation, but we won't be here for long enough. He's going to pay his own way through college too, even though his Dad's offered to help."

"Wow. The way he's going, Dad's not going to raise too many objections when it comes to him marrying Chloe." I let out a long sigh. "It's just a shame we're not going to be around to see all of that." Our time left in PA and the surrounding area was rapidly growing shorter and I knew it would be unlikely we'd be able to stay after the twins turned sixteen.

"I'm sorry," Edward said sadly. "I worried about this when Carlisle changed me; I knew you'd have doubts."

"I'm not having doubts, Edward."

"You wouldn't rather be staying here close to your family?"

"Of course I'd rather be able to see my sisters grow up and marry and be around when my parents get old, but you're the most important thing in my life..."

"If you hadn't phased and Imprinted..."

"If I hadn't phased and Imprinted, it wouldn't have made any difference. I'd still follow you to the ends of the earth, but I'd be miserable because every year I'd grow a bit further away from you. Edward..." I reached out to pull him closer to me. "Where's this coming from? You know how much I love you. I'll be sad to leave, but I'd be a hell of a lot more sad if I couldn't be with you."

"I suppose I was just thinking that we don't have that much more time left here and I worried that you might wish things were different."

"Well, I don't. I've known for a long time this would happen and it's not like we're never going to see my family again. My parents and sisters and Wolf can all come visit wherever we are. Where will we be, anyway? Do you know where we'll head for when we leave here?"

"I don't think Carlisle's decided," Edward said. "He's thinking of Canada initially, maybe even Alaska. I know Tanya would quite like to go back at some point, although we wouldn't be able to live anywhere near where the Denalis were before, she'd be recognised and questions asked."

"Well, I don't care where we go," I said firmly. "So long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter. My family can fly up to visit a couple times a year and we can set up working from home just the same."

Edward heaved a needless sigh of relief and pressed against me, wrapping his cool arms around my neck. "You know what I'll be most sad about leaving behind?"

"The house?"

"Mind-reading catching, is it?" he chuckled. "Yeah. Remember when we first came to look around it? So excited to get our first home and then everything went wrong when we had that accident. Well, not wrong exactly, I didn't quite mean that..."

"I know what you meant, but it was all just a blessing in disguise. Although we only get to live in the house for a few years, we get eternity together."

"Yeah. I wonder what we're going to be doing in another hundred years from now?" he mused.

"We'll probably be back here again," I grinned. "Meeting Wolf and Chloe's grandkids. I can't wait."

"What, to meet their grandkids?" Edward raised an eyebrow.

"No, to spend the next hundred years with you, and the one after that." I hugged him tighter and we stood silently, thinking about the endless future stretching ahead of us, considering with a mixture of excitement and wistfulness, where we might end up.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N This is the last chapter, my friends. Thank you for sticking with me through the 10 months I've been writing this trilogy and thank you for all the great reviews and encouragement; I hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. **

EPILOGUE

**Seven Years Later**

"I can't believe it's time to leave already," Edward sighed, watching the agent take down the sale board outside the house. We had a month left before we had to move out after the sprawling house Carlisle had bought for us all had sold within a few weeks of going on the market. Edward and I had initially planned to find our own place, but in the end it seemed easier to stay with the rest of the family. The house Carlisle chose had fourteen bedrooms, three lounges, a music room, offices, garages, an enormous kitchen and dining room, an indoor swimming pool and gym and expansive gardens - so much space that all of us could quite easily enjoy our privacy when we wanted to.

"Are you sad to be going?" I asked.

"Not so much as when we left PA, because of it being our first home. I like it here though; it's so wild."

After we left Washington, we had travelled north and settled a few miles outside the town of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory of Canada. The house was in a clearing in a large area of forest, a four-mile private road leading to it from the highway. We were secluded and surrounded by hunting grounds and it had served us well. Edward and I had both begun working again almost immediately - him teaching history and English from home and me training a variety of sports students. Carlisle secured a position at the hospital in Whitehorse and all of us had enjoyed the few years we spent there. The summers were short and hot, the winters long and dark - perfect for the vampires. Living in such thick forest, the brief few months of sunny days didn't cause them too much of a problem either.

My parents and sisters had visited often, always bringing Wolf with them and occasionally Liam and Quil had flown up to see us, Liam somehow having managed to work his way into Sam Uley's affections after he proposed to Emma, ensuring that she was able to acompany him. We were in fact awaiting their arrival for a final rather special visit before we all moved on to our new home - a mansion with a distant view of Mount McKinley in Alaska. Carlisle planned to work in a medical centre close to the mountain where injured climbers were taken for treatment. Again, Edward and I would set up as we had before, although Edward planned to offer himself as a piano teacher in addition to his usual tutoring.

It was April, almost twelve years to the day since I had married Edward and I glanced at him now as he stared out of the window, tugging a hand through his chaotic copper hair. Our life together was perfect, I thought. I couldn't think of a single thing that could improve things - except perhaps having my family closer. We were tightly bound by my Imprint, but also the love we had for each other which had survived well over a century and I often thought to myself how lucky I was that somehow, fate had let us find each other again.

"What are you smiling about?" Edward asked, not looking at me. I guessed he could see my reflection in the pane of glass in front of him.

"You mean you're not going to poke into my head and find out?"

"You know I try not to most of the time."

"You'll just tell me I'm being a sap, like you always do," I smirked. "I was thinking how lucky I am, which I do most days."

"I'm lucky too," he said softly. "Getting this second chance at everything." He turned away from the window and came to me, wrapping his arms around my neck. "I love you."

"Love you too, baby." I brushed my lips over his and hugged him back.

"They're here!" Zara yelled suddenly from the landing and we jumped apart and headed downstairs quickly. Zara and Tanya were already at the door waiting to welcome my family, the pair of them curiously inseparable since we had left Forks. Both still single, they seemed almost like sisters and often communicated the same way Edward and I did, with Tanya thinking and Zara whispering.

I stepped between the two girls and jumped down the porch steps, swinging Claire off of her feet in a bear hug as she reached me first, then putting her down quickly and turning my attention to Chloe, noting the modest diamond sparkling on her left hand. Wolf stood watching, beaming from ear to ear as my parents, Wolf Senior, Liam and his parents, Emma and the Uleys and Quil with his Imprint and wife, Matilda, all climbed out of the cars.

I could barely believe my sisters were twenty-one and in the middle of studying for their final college exams. Both had gone to Seattle the same as Edward and I had, along with Wolf who I knew was nailing his building design course and looking forward to going back to work with Dad. Lester Construction had grown considerably over the past few years and Dad had promised to make Wolf a partner. I put Chloe down and turned to Wolf next, gripping his hand and giving him a one-armed hug at the same time.

"You better take care of my little sister, you old dog!" I teased.

"Don't I always?" He backed off, grinning. "I can't believe your Dad's actually letting me marry her at last."

Wolf and Chloe had been engaged since the twins turned eighteen, but Dad had insisted that they wait until they finished university before tying the knot. After much protest they had agreed, but begged the rest of us to let them have their wedding in Whitehorse so that Edward and I and the rest of the Cullens could be present. Esme, Zara, Tanya and Charlotte had been delighted to arrange everything and Esme had spent hours on the phone to Mom and Chloe, making sure everything would be to their liking.

"I still think you're mad," Claire teased. She had quickly grown to understand the Imprint, but determinedly avoided Quil until she heard he had Imprinted on a girl from La Push and since going to college, she had followed her philosophy of 'try before you buy', dating a long list of different boys and breaking hearts all over Seattle. She still hadn't found anyone she wanted to be with for any length of time and insisted that starting her career was more important. She planned to coach sports at the Res school in Neah Bay, while Chloe had applied for a junior teaching post at the elementary school in PA, dependent on her final exam results which she was confident about.

I grabbed some of the bags which Wolf and his father had begun to remove from one of the vehicles and Edward, Carlisle and Jasper helped, blurring up and down the stairs until all of the luggage had been placed on the landing, the doors of the guest rooms standing open so that everyone could choose where they wanted to sleep. Esme and Charlotte returned to the kitchen to finish the meal they were preparing while the others milled around upstairs, Claire and Chloe fighting over the room with the best view, no different to the way they had been as kids.

We spent several hours over a leisurely dinner, the vampires all sitting around the table and talking about the impending wedding in two days' time. Chloe had bought a dress in Seattle, along with outfits for Claire and Mom, but everything else had been left in the hands of the Cullens to organise and Charlotte and Tanya eagerly ran through detailed descriptions of everything they had arranged.

Even though we'd seen Claire and Chloe every few months since we left Washington, it still seemed strange to see them as young women on the brink of beginning their careers, but they in turn found great amusement in the fact that Edward and I were still twenty-two and twenty-three respectively and that before too much longer I would be their little brother.

The day of the wedding was bright and sunny and with the ceremony intended to take place in a pagoda on the rear lawn, everyone was relieved that Carlisle had asked Eleazar to marry Chloe and Wolf, otherwise the vampires would have been forced to remain in the shadow of the house. Eleazar and Carmen had been spending some time in Canada themselves and were happy to make the detour for a few days and catch up with Tanya at the same time.

Wolf had asked me to be his best man and Edward deftly tied both of our bow ties as we got ready, Wolf repeatedly wiping damp palms on his pants legs until Edward told him wash them before he ruined the fabric.

"Were you this nervous when you got married?" Wolf asked.

"Terrified," Edward said seriously. "The first time, anyway."

"I was too," I admitted.

"Did either of you worry that the other one might have any doubts?" Wolf chewed his lip and tugged a hand through his short hair.

"No," Edward and I said together.

"You don't think Chloe has doubts, do you?" I asked him. "She's crazy about you, never mind the pull of the Imprint."

"Yeah, I know..." He grinned suddenly. "Wedding jitters, I guess. I just want it to be perfect for her, that's all."

"It will be; all she wants is your ring on her finger and to move into your house."

Wolf had designed a cottage himself and Chloe, and Dad and some of his men had built it for Wolf and Chloe as a wedding gift. Chloe had spent the last Christmas holidays choosing rugs, fabric for drapes, items for the kitchen and so on and Edward and I, along with the rest of the family, had bought furniture from a catalogue full of notes that my sister had sent us. Most of it had been delivered the previous week and was arranged in the cottage to Chloe's liking.

"Are you guys ready?" Dad called out, knocking on the door and then sticking his head around it. "Not getting cold feet, are you, Wolf?" He sounded severe, but winked at me behind poor Wolf's back.

"No, Sir!"

Dad chuckled. "I'm just kidding, son."

A few minutes later we were all heading outside, amused to find most of the other vampires already sitting on the benches positioned in front of the pagoda, faces and hands sparkling in the sunlight. I walked with Edward to the empty space beside Jasper where I would have to leave him while I took up my position beside Wolf.

"See you later, beautiful," I whispered.

"God, you two," Jasper muttered. "What is it, twelve years? You still sound like a pair of lovesick teenagers."

"Well, the lovesick part is right," Edward grinned and sat down.

Jasper made a retching sound and received a sharp elbow in the ribs from Charlotte. I left them and went to join Wolf where he figeted anxiously in front of the pagoda and eyed Eleazar uncomfortably.

"Relax, it'll all be fine," I whispered.

"I can't remember my vows."

"You will, when the time comes."

The small orchestra Esme had hired began to play then, background music while we waited for Dad and Chloe to appear and it was only a few minutes before the tune changed to the wedding march. Everyone turned to look as Dad headed slowly up the short aisle between the benches, a beam of pride on his face with Chloe clinging to his arm, wearing frothy, lacy white and carrying a pink bouquet. Claire followed them, her own dress the same colour as the flowers, looking the most feminine I'd seen her in more than ten years.

I pulled the box containing the rings out of my pocket and Claire took her sister's flowers, then sat down with Dad and I stepped back and sat on the bench behind me. The ceremony reminded me a lot of that Edward and I had shared, Wolf and Chloe having written their own vows and both mentioning the word 'Imprint' when they spoke. I glanced over my shoulder at Edward, meeting his golden eyes and mouthing 'I love you' as Eleazar pronounced Wolf and Chloe husband and wife. Then we were all on our feet applauding while Edward quickly left his position and came to join me.

Photographs followed, then a huge spread which Esme and the other female vampires had prepared. Carlisle discreetly handed out glasses of blood and then Dad, Wolf, me and Chloe herself all gave short speeches before the orchestra struck up again to provide music for dancing. I took a turn with Chloe, Claire, Mom and Esme and then stayed with Edward for the rest of the time, the pair of us gazing at each other in much the same way that the newlyweds were doing.

It wasn't until everything came to an end that Carlisle made a small announcement that he had been keeping a secret from Wolf and Chloe up to now. The rest of both families all knew about it and I watched the pair's faces as he spoke.

"Esme and I have a little gift for you..."

"But Uncle Carlisle, you gave us all that furniture already," Chloe said.

"Most of that was Jacob and Edward's doing, and a few of the others. Now, we know you weren't planning on a honeymoon because of your exams, but we've booked tickets for you to spend two weeks in Mauritius after the exams are over. I have the tickets here..." He withdrew a card envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket. "I own a small villa there so this is just for the flights and transfers. There are staff at the villa who will take care of anything you need while you're there."

Chloe left Wolf's side and hurled herself into Carlisle's arms, following which Wolf shook the vampire's hand. It was amusing to see him get along so well with all of the Cullens now after he'd previously despised them just as much as his ancestor, Paul.

Everyone spent two more nights at the house before Carlisle's jet flew them back to PA. The next time we received visitors, we would be in our new house in Alaska and much as we were all reluctant to leave the place we had called home for several years, we were also excited about the move. Most of the vampires had seen many of these places before, but I hadn't and Edward had only stayed in a few of them in his previous life. We had eternity ahead of us and the whole world to explore and I couldn't wait to continue the adventure that my life had become, with my Imprint at my side.


End file.
